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From Latch to Lifelong Health: The Dentist’s Role in Airway Growth
Where Dentistry Meets Whole-Body Health — Michael Bennett, DDS, PhD & Cathy Bennett, MS, NBCHWC
In partnership with
Good morning. This is More Than Teeth. The newsletter that helps dental sleep professionals get 1% better every week.
Good morning.
Welcome back to More Than Teeth, where we connect the dots between dentistry, airway health, and whole-body wellness. I’m Dr. Michael Bennett, and today we’re diving into a topic that touches the very earliest stages of life and has lasting effects on oral development: infant tongue tie, breastfeeding, and airway health. Our guest is Sherri Gunn — a NICU nurse, IBCLC, and myofunctional therapist — who brings a wealth of experience and insight to this important discussion.
In Today’s Edition
We’ll explore:
How to recognize tongue-tie early, and when intervention is truly necessary
Safe comfort methods for infant frenotomy (why topical anesthetics aren’t recommended)
The science behind tongue posture, jaw growth, and airway development
Evidence linking early oral function to lifelong health — from airway size to orthodontic stability
How poor sleep in childhood connects to chronic disease, inflammation, and systemic risk
Family-centered therapy: guiding parents to support latch, breathing, and growth at home
Real-world dialogue examples to help you educate parents and build trust
7-minute read👇
Click here to read the Blog (“From Latch to Lifelong Health: The Dentist’s Role in Preventing Sleep, Airway, and Growth Disorders”)
Clinical Corner
🥼Use the clinical corner as your secret weapon to educate parents and colleagues alike!
Key Takeaways🔑
Every successful latch is a foundation for lifelong health – not just feeding, but also breathing, sleeping, and growth
Numbing isn’t always necessary – sugar water and immediate skin-to-skin contact often soothe infants better than creams or injections
Function over appearance – not every tongue tie needs release; assess motion, feeding, and growth before intervention
Tongue posture shapes jaws and airways – early support prevents orthodontic relapse and promotes proper facial development
Family involvement is critical – myofunctional therapy works best when the whole family participates
The Clinical Walkthrough
Step 1 – Observe the First Latch
Often, the best latch occurs immediately after release, before swelling and soreness have a chance to set in.
Parents should anticipate some discomfort in subsequent feedings.
Step 2 – Comfort Without Over-Medication
Sugar water (“sweeties”) can provide brief comfort to infants during laser release.
Avoid lidocaine or numbing creams in infants due to risks of distress and complications.
Immediate breastfeeding or bottle feeding calms the baby and encourages proper suckling.
Click here to access a downloadable page research summary.
Step 3 – Assess Need for Release
Not all tongue ties require intervention.
Consider weight gain, feeding efficiency, and signs like snoring, teeth grinding, or restless sleep.
Use a “wait and watch” approach when possible; function matters more than appearance.
Step 4 – Support Post-Release Development
Encourage tongue exercises and sensory play for infants 0–6 months.
Introduce textured foods as therapy begins.
For toddlers, structured myofunctional therapy and sedation may be used carefully.
Evidence Spotlight: Long-Term Benefits
Early tongue release and proper oral exercises can prevent airway restriction, malocclusion, and orthodontic relapse.
Proper tongue posture naturally maintains retainer-like pressure on teeth, supporting stability.
Sleep improvements in children are often observed after tongue-tie release and myofunctional therapy, leading to enhanced behavior, attention, and growth.
Click here for supportive research citations.
From Latch to Lifelong Health
(Parent Perspective — bridge between science and life)
Every parent wants their child to sleep soundly, breathe freely, and grow into a healthy adult. What many don’t realize is that the foundation for that future starts in the mouth — with how a baby feeds, breathes, and sleeps.
When the tongue can’t rest against the palate, everything shifts: the jaws narrow, teeth crowd, nasal breathing becomes harder, and sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented. Over time, those early airway and sleep problems ripple into bigger issues — not just orthodontic relapse or wisdom teeth removal, but the same chronic diseases that claim most American lives.
Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, depression, and dementia have all been linked to disrupted sleep and chronic inflammation. When the airway is compromised early, the body learns to survive instead of thrive.
But there’s good news — and it starts early.
Early airway-focused care, tongue-tie release when appropriate, and myofunctional exercises help infants establish proper latch, tongue mobility, and nasal breathing. That means better sleep, more oxygen, and stronger immunity — setting the stage for a lifetime of health and resilience.
Key Takeaway for Parents:
“Healthy sleep in childhood protects against the chronic diseases of adulthood. Every good night’s sleep begins with a healthy airway — and that starts in the mouth.”
The daily health habit you’ll actually stick with…
This time of year, it’s so easy for your daily routine to be thrown off.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
🧬 Research Spotlight
Poor sleep quality is an independent risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer (Circulation, American Heart Association, 2022).
Children with sleep-disordered breathing show higher rates of behavioral, metabolic, and immune dysfunction (Pediatric Pulmonology, 2020).
Orofacial myofunctional therapy and early airway development interventions can improve sleep and daytime function in children (Children, 2023).
Practice Implications: Sample Dialogue
For parents:
"We’re not just looking at teeth, we’re supporting your baby’s ability to breathe, feed, and grow properly."
For toddlers:
"These exercises help your tongue work the way it’s supposed to, so you sleep better and eat comfortably."
For families:
"Myofunctional therapy is a team effort—parents, siblings, and children all learn proper breathing, chewing, and posture together."
Coach Cathy’s Take
"Comfort, warmth, and connection often heal faster than any medicine. Involve the whole family. Make therapy fun. Celebrate small wins, because they add up to lifelong habits."
Something Sweet
🍭Share this newsletter with colleagues or parents who want to support better feeding, airway development, and sleep health in children.
CE Opportunities / Events
Event | Dates | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
AADSM Mastery Program | Ongoing dates (check website) | Online | Click HERE |
Dentist’s Role in Snoring & Sleep Apnea | November 7-8, 2025 | Chicago, IL | Click HERE |
Do you have an event you would like to post? (free) [ click here ]
Miscellaneous
😅P.S. … A Word from Dr. Michael & Cathy Bennett
Health starts in the mouth, and healing depends on rest. Tongue ties, jaw development, and proper oral function affect feeding, sleep, and lifelong airway health. Small, early interventions—combined with awareness, connection, and teamwork—can change lives.
— Dr. Michael & Cathy Bennett
More Than Teeth | A Mission for Generational Health
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