Oral-motor refers to the use and function of the muscles of the face (lips, tongue, cheeks, and jaw) for speech, chewing, and swallowing. These exercises are designed to increase the range of movement in your tongue, lips, cheeks, and jaw. When doing these exercises, it is important to move the designated area as far as you can in each direction until you feel the muscles stretch, but should not make it painful. Practice these exercises, once through, 3-5 times a day initially, and later 5-10 times.

Jaw Exercises

1. Jaw Opening

Open the jaw as wide as you can until you feel a stretching, but no pain.  Hold this furthest open position for 1-2 seconds initially (later 5 seconds) then relax and close your mouth.  Repeat this open posture 3-5 times. Do the same while producing the sound /ah/

2. Side-to-Side Movement

Move your jaw to the right side as far as you can until it pulls but does not hurt.  Hold it there for 1-2 seconds then relax.  Move your jaw to the left side as far as you can until you feel a stretch but it does not hurt.  Hold it there for 1-2 seconds then relax. Alternate this right-to-left movement 5 times. Physical assistance can be given to do the same.

3. Massage the jaw area softly

• From upper lip to jaw
• From lower ear to jaw
• From center eye to jaw
• From cheeks to the jaw

Tongue Exercises

1. Tongue Extension

Sticking out tongue and hold tongue steady and straight for 1-2 seconds initially and later increase the duration to 4-5 sec. Relax and Repeat 3-5 times.

2. Tongue Retraction

Retract your tongue, touching the back of your tongue to the roof of your mouth  (as if producing the /k/).  Hold for 1 to 3 seconds. Relax and Repeat 3-5 times.

3. Tongue Tip-Up

Place tongue on the alveolar ridge, (the area behind your top teeth.) and say “la”. Relax and Repeat 3-5 times

4. Tongue Side To Side

Tongue tip to left side of the mouth, hold for 3 to 5 seconds.
Tongue tip to the right side of the mouth, hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Relax and Repeat 5 to 10 times.

5. Tongue Tip Up – Jaw Down

Placing the tongue tip on the upper and lower lip respectively. Relax and Repeat 5 times.

6. Tongue inside

Push the inside of your cheek with your tongue on the right side and then on the left side. Make the child feel the movement by touching that.

Lip Exercises

1. Lip Retraction

Smile/ produce /e/ and hold for 1-3 seconds.
Relax and Repeat 5 times.

2. Lip Protrusion

Pucker your lips as if you were going to give someone a kiss and produce /u/.  Hold for 1-3 seconds.  Relax and Repeat 5 times.

3. Lip Retraction and Protrusion

Smile then pucker your lips.  Use exaggerated movements.  Relax and Repeat 5 times.

4.  Lip Press

Press lips tightly together for 2-3 seconds.  Relax and Repeat 5 times.

5. Stroke lips

Gently stroke the lips horizontally, repeat 5 times

Cheeks, Gums Exercises

• Massage the cheeks from outside in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. Repeat 5 times
• Massage the cheeks from inside from up to down, repeat 5 times
• Massage the gums to midline from one side, repeat 5 times
• Puffing the cheeks for 3-5 seconds

Fun at Home

• Blowing can strengthen the muscles of the lips and improves breath control, can use bubbles, blowing candles, thermocol balls, feathers, paper bits, and cotton balls for the same.
• Licking peanut butter, honey, and jam from the roof of the mouth or behind the top front teeth improves tongue elevation/lifting.
• Making silly faces improves strength, coordination, and range of motion of the lips, jaw, and tongue.