by James F. Garry, D.D.S.

Primary Origins of Oral Habits

• Instinct (unlearned sucking reflex)
• Bottle feeding instead of breast feeding
• Not fatiguing the sucking reflex
• Upper airway obstruction
• Allergies

• Secondary results: sucking becomes a satisfying habit like smoking and is evident when the infant or child is angry, hungry, tired (tranquilizing effect), frightened, in pain or discomfort and can result from imitation.

BREAST FEEDING – HUMAN MILK – ALLERGIES

• Breast feeding antibodies offer a remarkable protection   against respiratory infections such as flew and   pneumonia which are accompanied by fever.
• Dr. Arthur Najera in 1964 St. Louis University, concluded that breast fed children show excellent and more   desirable facial features than bottled fed children.
• Dr. Gertrude Tank and Dr. Clara Storvick, research scientist at Oregon State University reported in 1965   that breast fed babies have significantly fewer dental   cavities in their early years then bottle fed babies.

HUMAN MILK CONTAINS:

• Secretory IgA (protects against gastrointestinal disorders).
• Lysozyme (antimycrobial enzyme)
• Nitrogen containing polysaccharides (bifidus factor) promotes the growth of bifidobacterial flora.  These bacteria which   lower the pH of the intestinal tract, an acid environments   inhibit the growth of E coli, yeast, and shigella.
• Lactoferrin (inhibits the growth of staphlococci and E coli by binding iron which bacteria require to proliferate.
• A fatty acid that appears to have an antistaphylococcal factor.
• Lactoperoxidase (combats streptococci).

BIOCHEMICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMAN MILK AND FORMULA:

• Human milk = 20 mg of cholesterol/ 100 ml of milk
• Cows milk = 1.5 – 3.3 mg of cholesterol / 100 ml of milk
• Animal studies indicate that a moderate amount of dietary cholesterol maybe necessary for proper   metabolism of cholesterol in later life.  Research   findings imply that low cholesterol formulas may   contribute to atherosclerosis in later life.

• Human milk contains a rich supply of nucleotides, substances involved in protein, and nucleic acid   synthesis.
• The fatty acid composition of substitutes for human milk, varies appreciably from that of human milk,   and lipase, and enzyme that enhances availability of   free fatty acids, is  present in large quantities in   human milk.

Allergies to cow’s milk have been associated with difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep in infants. (Sleep, Vol. 10, No. 2, 1987).

Infants diagnosed as insomniacs develop normal sleep patterns after cow’s milk was eliminated from the diet. Insomnia reappeared when the infants were challenged with cow’s milk.

BREAST PUMP KIT:

Designed to allow mother to:

1. Express and store her highly nutritious milk.
2. Store the milk in the refrigerator.
3. Store in freezer within 2 hours if not to be used within 2 days.

CAUTION!!!

• Do not pour fresh milk onto frozen milk before cooling.
• Always date milk as it must be used within two weeks.

Conventional nipples and pacifiers should be avoided if we are to provide an infant with a neuromuscular pattern that approximates that of a breast fed infant.

The NUK nipple and Exerciser is the best substitute.

  

Four additional benefits of breast milk:

1. No need to boil
2. Cats can’t steal it
3. Available whenever necessary
4. Available in attractive containers.

    

Eighteen month old child was drooling continuously, had developed a tongue-thrusting and thumb-sucking habit.  Four months after introduction of the Secondary Exerciser (NUM Exerciser), tongue-thrusting, drooling and thumb-sucking have been eliminated.  “After” models show broadening and rounding of arch; bite has closed appreciably.

  

Left: Before NUK exerciser.  Right: After 4 months later

TYPICAL STIGMATA OF UPPER AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION

   

When upper airway obstruction is present forward head posture can ensue, rolled shoulders, retrusive mandible, abnormal tonque swallow habits, open mouth habitus with collapsed/ restricted oral pharyngeal airway space can occur.

Myofunctional Therapy

Orofacial Muscle Balance Can Be Accomplished By:

1. Remove hypertrophied tonsils and adenoids when they’re obstruction is causing orofacial deformities due to airway obstruction.
2. Motivation to exercise
3. Developing a proper exercise regimen
4. Carefully monitoring the child or adult’s progress
5. Working with an dentist who does functional orthodontist to establish a palatal vault that will accommodate the tongue.

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Special Note: Distributing and use of any of these photos to other websites or presentations is considered stealing intellectual property. No permission is granted to anyone accept Dr. Clayton A. Chan who was granted permission directly by Dr. James F. Garry’s son Ron.  The originator and author of these images is shared on this site in honor of Dr. Jim to preserve his legacy and a means to encourage other TMJ pain sufferers and dentists hope and better understanding from this site. Copyright permission was given only to Dr. Clayton A. Chan for use on the Occlusion Connections website and no others. Please respect the rights and privacy of Dr. James F. Garry and family members.

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