Could Your Indigestion be a Sign of an OMD?

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) can occur from unconscious behaviors, damaging habits, or abnormal development of the muscles and bones of the face and mouth. Often many muscles are involved since the incorrect movement of one muscle causes the others to compensate and work inaccurately as well.

Atypical Swallowing/Indigestion

Correct swallowing involves many muscles of the tongue, mouth, cheeks and throat to work together. This involves actions such as the teeth meeting to bite and chew food, the lips creating a seal to keep food inside the oral cavity, the tongue’s ability to clear and move food to the back of the mouth for swallowing, and the muscles of the throat to move food down the esophagus. Drooling, choking, and/or indigestion can occur when one or more of these processes occur incorrectly. The need to wash food down with liquids is also an indicator of oral motor weakness.

When even one step in the swallowing sequence is disrupted, the body often compensates with what we call atypical swallowing patterns—sometimes referred to as “tongue thrust” or “reverse swallow.” Instead of the tongue pressing up against the palate to propel food or liquid backward, the tongue may push forward against the teeth or rest low in the mouth. Over time, this can make chewing inefficient, swallowing effortful, and digestion uncomfortable.

Children and adults with atypical swallowing often report that mealtimes feel harder than they should. They may chew for long periods, pocket food in their cheeks, struggle to form a cohesive bolus (the ball of food ready to swallow), or rely on lots of sips of water to clear each bite. These compensations can interrupt the natural rhythm of eating and make it difficult to enjoy a wide variety of foods.

How Atypical Swallowing Contributes to Indigestion

Indigestion isn’t always about the stomach—it often begins in the mouth. When food isn’t chewed thoroughly or the tongue cannot efficiently coordinate the early stages of swallowing, larger or poorly prepared pieces of food reach the digestive system. This can lead to:

• increased air swallowing, which contributes to bloating

• slower digestion, because the stomach has to work harder to break down food that wasn't adequately chewed

• reflux symptoms, particularly when swallowing is effortful or accompanied by excess air

Parents sometimes describe their child as a “slow eater,” “picky eater,” or someone who “gets full quickly”—not realizing the root cause may be an underlying myofunctional pattern.

Because swallowing happens 500–1000 times per day, even small improvements can make a significant difference in day-to-day comfort and well-being.