EPISODE 55 OF AIRWAY FIRST - March Madness edition

In honor of Oral Health Month and March Madness, CAFF will be releasing one new episode a day until the end of the month. Welcome to episode 55 of the Airway First podcast! You can catch this and all other episodes on Apple, SoundCloud, Podbean, RSS, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. And don't forget to check us out on YouTube!

My guest today is Dr. Catherine Murphy. She partners with orthodontic facilities to implement her distinctive patient-centered approach and health care collaborative approach. As an independent contractor and consultant, Dr. Murphy helps orthodontic practices establish or enhance their orthodontic departments through specialized program-based guidance, including patient care.

Dr. Murphy shares her passion for holistic dentistry through her speaking engagements and consulting across the globe. She is the author of two pictures books focusing on the connection between oral and overall health: Dear Momma... and Dear Friend...Do you know about Tongue Ties? She reaches caregivers nationwide through her podcast, Dear Momma with Dr. Murphy. The show provides insights into the holistic and collaborative care approach to orthodontic treatment.

A graduate of the Indiana University School of Dentistry, Dr. Murphy has been inducted into the American College of Dentists and selected to serve as an American Dental Association Wellness Ambassador.

Dr. Murphy is on a mission to elevate patient care by introducing a holistic approach to orthodontic treatment to dental professionals across the nation.

You can find out more about Dr. Murphy at drcatherinemurphy.com.

Show Notes:

• Dr. Murphy Online - drcatherinemurphy.com

• Dear Friend...Do You Know About Tongue Ties? by Dr. Catherine Murphy

• Dear Momma by Dr. Catherine Murphy

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD

• Scientific Method

• AirwayMamaBears - Items in CAFF Store

• MyoMunchee: https://myomunchee.com/
  

ORAL HEALTH AND HOLISTIC ORTHODONTICS

Holistic orthodontics, also known as integrative orthodontics, incorporates a comprehensive approach by coordinating efforts with various healthcare professionals, such as one's family dentist, pediatrician, orofacial myofunctional therapist (OMT), chiropractor, craniosacral therapist, and speech-language pathologist.

This collaborative approach aims to accomplish more than merely aligning the teeth; it seeks to enhance facial harmony, create a captivating smile, and promote overall well-being.

With holistic orthodontics:

• Interceptive can start treatment younger

• Treats with a holistic approach to health and wellness

• Views problems as a symptom  of an underlying cause

• It avoids extraction of teeth

• Achieves facial harmony retain teeth in the proper position

• Improves child’s growth &  development of teeth, jaws, and airway

• Promotes nasal breathing: no more mouth breathing, snoring, teeth grinding

• Collaborates with a network of healthcare experts to optimize outcomes. (e.g. Speech pathologists/OMT/PT/OT/ND/DC)

WHAT IS FACIAL HARMONY?

Facial harmony means the smile is not just about the teeth but the entire face. The mindset has changed from looking at orthodontics as a problem with just the teeth, to orthodontics as a benefit to the patient’s full growth and development potential.

Treating problems holistically and intercepting them to maximize benefits.

DOES YOUR CHILD NEED MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY?

If you're wondering if your child might benefit from myofunctional therapy, here are a few steps you can take to get the process going:

1. Monitor your child for mouth breathing and/or an open-mouth resting posture. How often does it occur during the day? Do they sleep with their mouth open and/or snore frequently?

2. Consider talking to a doctor or dentist who specializes in breathing and sleep. It may even be time to have a sleep study done for you or your child. Your doctor will be able to evaluate your child and decide the best course of action.

3. Have an evaluation with a myofunctional therapist. A myofunctional therapist will often know other specialists and will be able to point you in the right direction at the very least.

SPOTLIGHT BOOK RESOURCE FOR PARENTS

Dear Momma... is a story about a mother's journey with breastfeeding from the baby's point of view.

Paired with heartwarming illustrations, this book captures the sweet, raw emotions of new motherhood with a message of empowerment.

It is written in a format that both adults and children can understand, connect with, and appreciate.

Dear Momma... is also the perfect gift for:

• new moms

• moms struggling on their breastfeeding journey

• moms making tough decisions about their baby's tongue tie/ tethered oral tissues

• moms in need of the reminder that their maternal intuition may whisper but is powerful

• moms that struggled to feed their baby or babies

• moms in need of a virtual hug.