Breathe Cincinnati takes a functional approach to optimizing your mouth, helping you get the most out of eating, breathing, and sleeping from birth through adulthood.
The mouth is a critically overlooked part of the breathing system. It’s one of the most basic, least thought about things we do, but literally cannot live without - breathing. Unless we’re having a problem doing it, we don’t give it much thought, but our mouth can affect almost every part of our life from eating, to sleeping, to our overall health.
But what does that mean for you or your family?
We all know the importance of a good night's sleep. But, in truth, it's harder to know how well we or our kids have slept than we might think. Feeling or looking rested is just part of the picture.
The shape of the jaw and roof, our tongue's size and where it rests, as well as the size of the opening between the mouth and the rest of the air system all impact how well we breathe.
First you have to understand this is not a quick-fix, bandaid approach. We don’t just look at the teeth, tongue, or palate separately but together as a whole, and how the development of one affects the other(s).
You'll first meet with Dr. Koo for an evaluation of the airway. She may also recommend a SleepImage Sleep Screen which gives a clear picture of what's happening to your body while you sleep.
As needed you may be referred to other specialists who understand the tailored care you need (that have been vetted/who also appreciate how all these things are connected)
Evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to develop, recover, improve, and maintain skills needed for living and working.
Work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults.
A specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth, jaws and misaligned bite patterns.
Relieves tension in the central nervous system to eliminate pain, promote a feeling of well-being, and boost health and immunity.
Focuses on the tongue, helping correct poor habits like improper swallow, open mouth posture, lack of lip seal at rest, and tongue thrusting. with a goal to create proper resting tongue position.
A specialized healthcare practitioner working therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease.
I knew my sinuses were bad, but finding out how my teeth, the shape of my mouth, and my airway were also contributing to my poor health was a real eye opener. .
The restless and broken sleep I was experiencing most nights was likely due to obstructive sleep apnea, the cause of which was my very narrow and vaulted palate. My tongue simply didn't have enough room to rest naturally in my mouth so during sleep it would crowd my airway and obstruct/restrict my breathing. Through the use of palate expansion, clear aligners and Dr. Koo's expertise and guidance I am on my way to better sleep and better health.
I thought I was destined for a life with a CPAP machine. Luckily I was able to correct my breathing, and it's been truly life-changing for me...and especially for my wife who doesn't have to hear me snoring away every night.
I’m a seventy-six year old woman who had four tethered oral tissue releases by Dr. Koo. It was worth every single penny. I have a low pain tolerance and I felt scared ahead of time, but it was a much easier procedure than I thought it would be. Dr. Koo explains everything ahead of time and during the procedure ,and her assistant were terrific.
As soon as it was over and I sat up in the chair and looked out the big window at the trees, birds and skies, I felt transported. Something about the procedure has a profound psychological effect. Everything looked so beautiful. It’s common to have a strong emotional response after getting released. She told me it was like I’d been holding onto a fifty pound weight, which was pretty astounding.
Since having my son's tethered oral issue released by Dr. Koo, we have noticed significant improvement in his physical development and overall temperament. He effortlessly met a range of motion goal in physical therapy we had been working on for months. The tension in his body is gone and feedings have improved. He is now a happy, relaxed baby. Dr. Koo and her staff were professional and extremely kind. I would recommend them to anyone.
Hello and welcome to our space on the internet
I hope to give you an experience like you've never had before...to breathe more clearly, to feel healthier, and more well rested.
Seeing the change in my patients' lives, knowing without this opportunity, they may have had to take steps to help them breathe after it's already too late.
I've noticed the change in my own family and how breathing properly can lead to better sleep, more energy, and a renewed sense of life. I know it's kind of cliche to say what we do is life-changing, but we know that every breath counts, and we look forward to helping you enjoy yours.
Daytime drowsiness, headaches, neck tension, behavioral issues in kids, sleeping with the mouth open, and snoring, are all possible signs that the body is not getting the rest it needs.
Sooner is better than later to get them on a path to optimal rest.
Not all dentists are trained to help people sleep better. A dentist who is aware of how the mouth may impact the upper airway, however, may be able to help you sleep better by treating any issues in the mouth that may be contributing to sleep disturbances.
There are a few ways a dentist can help by creating room in your mouth for proper airflow. For example, dentists can create custom-made oral appliances, such as mandibular advancement devices, that can help prevent snoring. These devices are designed to hold your jaw in a forward position, which can help keep your airway open and reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea symptoms. Or a dentist can direct treatment to widen the upper jaw creating more room in the mouth for proper tongue position, which can reduce snoring and improve breathing during sleep.
Pediatricians are not trained to evaluate the mouth. Typically child well visits are focused on confirming that your child is meeting age-appropriate milestones and screening for concerns of significant distress. If the parent does not bring up any concerns, specifically mentioning sleep or breathing concerns, airway issues may be easily overlooked.
Until recently, most dentists have been trained solely on the gums and teeth—not the mouth as part of the airway. Understanding that the size of the mouth plays an important role in the health and wellbeing of the whole person is only now beginning to be understood by dentists and other health professionals. But, unless your dentist has taken extra care to learn about the mouth's role in upper airway function, any issues related to these areas will likely go unnoticed.