Myofunctional therapy: what it is and what the evidence shows for snoring and mouth breathing

Myofunctional therapy is a program of exercises for the tongue, lips, cheeks and throat, designed to make those muscles work and rest the way they should. It's used for mouth breathing, open mouth posture, snoring and as an add-on for sleep apnea. Small trials and meta-analyses show real reductions in snoring and sleep apnea severity, though reviewers rate much of the evidence as low certainty, so think of it as a slow, safe, promising option rather than a quick fix.

What is orofacial myofunctional therapy?

Orofacial myofunctional therapy, often shortened to OMT, is exercise-based training for the muscles of the mouth and face. Cleveland Clinic says it trains these muscles to move as they should and rest in the proper positions, using exercises for the cheeks, tongue and lips that build strength and sharpen your awareness of how they move.

It treats what clinicians call orofacial myofunctional disorders, patterns of muscle movement that affect how you breathe, chew, swallow or speak. Cleveland Clinic lists mouth breathing, obstructive sleep apnea, open mouth posture, tongue thrust, teeth clenching, TMJ disorders and recovery from tongue-tie surgery among the conditions providers use it for. It says the therapy has no known risks, while noting that it's still a growing area of research.

The older name for the sleep version is oropharyngeal exercises, which you'll see in most of the studies below. They describe the same basic idea.

What exercises does myofunctional therapy use?

Myofunctional therapy uses exercises that work the tongue, soft palate, lips, cheeks and jaw, along with breathing, chewing and swallowing drills. Cleveland Clinic says a session might include singing, playing a wind instrument, breathing exercises, lifting or extending the tongue in specific ways, and holding a small object between the lips. Your therapist builds a plan for you.

The best known program comes from a 2009 trial at the University of São Paulo. People with moderate sleep apnea did about 30 minutes a day of exercises for the tongue, soft palate and the side walls of the throat for three months. We list the individual exercises in mouth and tongue exercises for snoring, including tongue presses against the roof of the mouth, vowel sounds for the soft palate, and lip and cheek work.

A big part of therapy for mouth breathing is resting posture: lips together, tongue on the roof of the mouth. Cleveland Clinic says the tongue should be lightly suctioned to the palate at rest, and that an open mouth posture can leave it lying on the floor of the mouth. Our article on tongue posture and nasal breathing covers this in more depth.

Does myofunctional therapy help snoring?

Myofunctional therapy helped snoring in several small studies. In a 2015 randomized trial in the journal Chest, 39 people who mainly complained of snoring did either daily oropharyngeal exercises or a control routine of nasal strips plus breathing exercises for three months. The control group didn't change. In the exercise group, the snore index, snores louder than 36 decibels per hour, fell from a median of 99.5 to 48.2.

A 2018 meta-analysis led by Macario Camacho pooled 9 studies with 211 adults. Snoring intensity fell by 51% on a rating scale in 80 patients, and time spent snoring fell from about 26% to 18% of sleep in 60 patients who had sleep studies. The authors concluded myofunctional therapy reduced snoring in adults on both questionnaires and objective tests.

What does the research say about sleep apnea?

The research on sleep apnea is encouraging but not conclusive. In the 2009 São Paulo trial, 31 people with moderate sleep apnea were randomized to exercises or a sham routine for three months. The exercise group's apnea-hypopnea index fell from 22.4 to 13.7 events an hour, and their snoring, daytime sleepiness and sleep quality improved. The sham group didn't change.

A 2015 meta-analysis in the journal Sleep, also led by Camacho, pooled 9 adult studies with 120 patients. The apnea-hypopnea index fell from about 24.5 to 12.3 events an hour, snoring on sleep studies fell from about 14% to 4% of sleep time, and daytime sleepiness scores dropped. The authors concluded the therapy cuts the index by about 50% in adults and 62% in children, and suggested it could serve as an add-on to other sleep apnea treatments.

A 2020 Cochrane review was more cautious. It found 9 randomized trials with 347 participants. Compared with sham therapy, the exercises probably reduced daytime sleepiness and may have improved sleep quality, but the effect on snoring frequency was very uncertain. In one trial, CPAP lowered breathing interruptions more than exercises did. The reviewers rated the certainty of the evidence from moderate to very low and called for larger, longer trials.

So the honest summary is that the exercises seem to help, the studies are small, and they're best used alongside medical treatment rather than instead of it. The NHS says to see a GP if your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, you gasp or choke, or you always feel very tired during the day. Our guide to sleep apnea treatment options explains the main choices.

Does myofunctional therapy help mouth breathing?

Myofunctional therapy may help mouth breathing, particularly after any nasal blockage has been dealt with. Cleveland Clinic lists mouth breathing as one of its main uses, describing it as not being able to take in enough air through your nose despite adequate treatment for any nasal obstruction. In other words, the nose comes first, and therapy works on the habit and muscles that remain.

The evidence here is thinner than for snoring. A 2025 scoping review screened more than 11,000 records and included 58 studies, 10 of them on mouth breathing. Most primary studies reported positive results, but only 19% were randomized trials, and the authors concluded there isn't yet enough high-level evidence to confirm the therapy's effectiveness. That's a fair reason to keep expectations realistic, not a reason to skip it. For the full picture of what to try first, see how to stop mouth breathing at night.

Who provides myofunctional therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is provided by clinicians with extra training in orofacial myofunctional disorders. Cleveland Clinic names speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and dental hygienists as examples, and says some earn certifications through the Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy or the International Association of Orofacial Myology. Credentials you may see include COMT (certified orofacial myofunctional therapist) and COM (certified orofacial myologist).

These therapists often work alongside ENT surgeons, oral surgeons and sleep medicine specialists. Cleveland Clinic says treatment typically lasts six to 12 months, with a mix of sessions with your provider and practice at home. Your dentist or doctor is a good person to ask for a referral.

Is myofunctional therapy used for children who mouth breathe?

Myofunctional therapy is used for children, but as part of care led by professionals. Cleveland Clinic says it suits school-aged children from 4 years old, adolescents and adults, and isn't appropriate for babies and toddlers because it requires following specific directions.

The first step for a child who mouth breathes is a check of the nose and airway. Cleveland Clinic says children often mouth breathe because swollen adenoids or tonsils block the airway, and that mouth breathing in children can affect how the face grows. It recommends asking your child's pediatrician to look.

The research in children is small. The 2015 Sleep meta-analysis found two pediatric studies with 25 children. In one, the apnea-hypopnea index fell from about 4.9 to 1.8 events an hour. In the other, children whose sleep apnea had been resolved by surgery and palate expansion stayed resolved if they kept up the exercises, while those who didn't saw it return. The Cochrane review found one small trial in 13 children where adding exercises to nasal washing made little difference. Our guide to mouth breathing in children covers what to expect at an appointment.

Can you combine myofunctional therapy with mouth tape?

You can combine myofunctional therapy with mouth tape as an adult, as long as your nose is clear. The exercises work on your muscles and habits during the day, and tape keeps your lips together while you sleep, when you can't control them. No study has tested the two together, so think of tape as a nightly support while the therapy does its slower work.

Tape has its own small evidence base. In a 2022 study in Healthcare, 20 mouth breathers with mild sleep apnea wore tape for a week, and their median snoring index fell by 47%, with 13 of them halving their snoring. People with blocked noses were treated first. Tape only makes sense when you can breathe comfortably through your nose. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

Our guide on how to start mouth taping explains how to try it safely, and can you train yourself to nose breathe has a daytime plan that sits well alongside therapy.

Our pick (paid partner): Titan Bamboo Silk Mouth Tape

If you'd like a nightly add-on while you build the habit, our pick is Titan Bamboo Silk Mouth Tape. We haven't tested or ranked mouth tapes ourselves; this is our recommendation.

Titan says the strip is bamboo silk, soft, breathable and moisture-wicking, in one oval size worn horizontally across the lips. It suggests 20 to 30 minutes of daytime practice before the first night, which you can fit around your exercises. Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and it offers a 30-night guarantee.

Read next

• Mouth and tongue exercises for snoring
• Tongue posture and nasal breathing
• How to stop mouth breathing at night

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.