Am I Too Old for Myofunctional Therapy or Can My Health Still Benefit from Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?
I’m happy to talk about this now since my client population has taken a turn towards older clients who are learning about the health benefits of myofunctional therapy. Often, I receive emails asking “am I too old for myofunctional therapy?” The answer is NO! In my practice, there is not an age limit on the “top” end! My practice is specialized for ages 4 or 5 and above. My oldest client right now is 78 and doing fantastic. There is no one too old for myofunctional therapy! Repeat after me! There is no one too old for myofunctional therapy!
The thing to remember about myofunctional therapy is, that correction of impairments are important at any age. Just like with any other exercise-based program, it makes sense to just get started! Sooner is better for sure. But…in most cases, your physician would never say “oh, you’re too old to start taking a walk after dinner in the evening”. It will probably be the opposite suggestion!
When people are wondering if he or she is too old for myofunctional therapy, I remind them that myofunctional therapy is an excellent way to make sure you are a vital, healthy person at any age! (I did a recent webinar called “Become a V.H.P: Your 6 Step Roadmap to Becoming a Vital Healthy Person By Understanding Your Myofunctional Impairment”. You can catch a replay here if you’re interested!)
Myofunctional therapy helps several health conditions that are connected to the mouth, face, and tongue. These conditions have long term consequences so it is important to see an experienced myofunctional therapist that you like and trust.
Why is it important to start myofunctional therapy sooner rather than later?
The sooner that you correct myofunctional impairment, the sooner that your health will benefit.
Many of my older clients truly wish they had known about their impairments sooner or had taken steps to correct the impairment when they learned about it.
As a person ages, muscle tone is lost, and this goes for oral tone also. Plus, as we age things just tend to get just a bit harder. So if an older client has swallowed wrong throughout life, it seems to get worse as we age. The body compensations kind of peter out and that, combined with less coordination and oral tone makes for symptoms to become much more noticeable.
Swallowing challenges and digestive issues are certainly areas where many of my older clients suffer.
What if I have dentures or a partial?
This is no problem. Just because you have dentures or partials does not change the 4 goals of myofunctional therapy. We usually have to spend some extra time on correct tongue posture because the denture or partial may create a different feeling for the tip of the tongue, but it just takes some practice!
What is my first step?
Your first step to getting a really good grasp on what myofunctional therapy is and why you need it.
You can download our free assessment tool to start with. Then a free 30-minute assessment appointment will give you a chance to meet me, get your questions answered and see if it makes sense for you to pay for an exam. The last thing I want to happen is you pay for an exam, and me tell you that “you’re fine”! (That’s never happened, but I don’t want it to!
Other Great Resources
I am LIVE on Facebook most Wednesdays at 11:30 am Mountain time. I cover a huge range of topics!
I have the Tongue-Tie and Myofunctional Therapy Support Group on Facebook, which you are encouraged to join.
I have an extensive blog.
I’m growing a great YouTube channel.
I am very active on Instagram!
Are you a Facebook Fan of Integrative Myofunctional Therapy?
Sign up to down load my free assessment tool and check “yes” to get my weekly email about all things myo!
I teach a free class called: “Become a V.H.P: Your 6 Step Roadmap to Becoming a Vital Healthy Person By Understanding Your Myofunctional Impairment”. You can watch one of the video replays here.
About Carmen
Carmen found her path of passion years ago as a dental hygienist. After a stint in graduate school to earn her M.B.A., she left clinical hygiene practice to start her business, Integrative Myofunctional Therapy. In addition to seeing clients in her private online practice, she also teaches the craft of myofunctional therapy in her Myo Mastery Program, coaches dental offices on how to implement myofunctional screening into the daily practice, and speaks frequently in various settings.
Carmen is a provider for the Foundation of Airway Health, where she works diligently for the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of airway related disorders.
In addition, she is a proud member of several professional associations that afford her the opportunity to learn so that she can help her clients. Her professional memberships include: