Why early oral development in babies matters
What to expect in your baby’s oral development journey
0–6 weeks
Primitive ‘suck-swallow-breathe’ reflexes keep your baby safe and nourished. These survival responses lay the groundwork for later, more advanced oral functions.
6+ weeks
By now, your baby is cooing, smiling, and bringing their hands to their mouth — a crucial step for oral development. Consider minimising pacifier use and introducing chew toys to help activate those tiny jaw muscles.
3+ months
The tongue starts poking through the lips as it develops strength and movement. Make sure your baby is getting plenty of tummy time to build neck strength and allow gravity to work on the forward growth of the jaw.
4+ months
Your baby explores different shapes, sizes and textures in their mouth, sending oral sensory information to the brain. Chew toys help activate the chew reflex before solids are introduced.
6+ months
Teething starts, the first teeth erupt, and your baby begins exploring solids. They’re showing a lot more interest in watching you eat and will be keen to try this process themselves.
12–18 months
Your baby should be breathing through their nose and keeping their mouth closed while chewing. They will soon have their 2-year-old molars and be capable of more complex rotary chewing actions. We can now see how the jaws are coming together.
Chewing is more than just a milestone for your baby. It's a vital piece of their early developmental journey
Jaw growth
Every chomp strengthens jaw muscles and stimulates bone growth.
Facial development
Proper chewing helps shape the face and supports nasal breathing.
Oral exploration
Chew toys teach your baby how to move their tongue and prepare for solids.
Myo Munchee BEBE
6-18 MONTHS
The Myo Munchee Bebe is a gentle, silicone chewing device designed specifically for babies aged 6–18 months. It’s the perfect tool to help keep your baby’s oral development on the right track.
The Myo Munchee Bebe is only available for purchase from a practitioner to ensure your baby gets the extra care they need in the early stages of their oral development.
Signs of dysfunction in a baby’s oral development
Your child may need a little more support if you detect:
- - Excessive dribbling and drooling
- - Mouth breathing
- - Difficulty managing solids
- - Ear infections
- - Sinus congestion
- - Sleep disturbances
- - Continued pacifier or dummy use
Did you know?
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding isn’t just about nutrition. The act itself is a complex synchrony of nerve information that coordinates over 26 muscles, helping to grow the jaw and support facial symmetry.
Gag reflex
At around 4 months old, your baby will often stick their fingers and toys far into the mouth until they gag. This is entirely normal, helping to develop the gag reflex that will stay with them for life.
Understanding space
The mouth is where your baby first learns about three-dimensional space. Putting everything in their mouth gives them a lot of feedback about the size of things.
Sensory learning
One-third of all sensory information relayed to the brain comes from the mouth as there are a lot of sensors in the lips, face, and tongue.
Track Progress with the Myo Munchee
Change isn’t always noticeable. That’s why we created this simple checklist to help you track your baby’s oral milestones with the Myo Munchee over 9 months.
Want to learn more?
Ankyloglossia (Tongue Tie) and Oral Development | Myo Munchee
12 Feb, 2026 by Dr Lynda Dean-Duru
Read moreFAQs
Chewing helps grow the jaw, palate and facial structures, promoting healthy oral and airway development that can impact everything from feeding and breathing to sleep and speech.
Babies are generally ready for chewing around 4–5 months old. This is a great time to introduce chew toys like the Myo Munchee Bebe to activate optimal chewing patterns and function.
Find a Munchee Certified Practitioner to learn more about how the Myo Munchee Bebe can fit into your baby’s daily routine.
Your baby may need chewing support if you notice dribbling or drooling, mouth breathing during the day or while asleep, difficulty managing solids, misaligned teeth, ear or sinus congestion, thumb sucking, or pacifier/dummy use.
If you’re concerned about your child’s oral development, consider taking them to a practitioner who can investigate your concerns and recommend next steps.
A baby usually transitions from sucking to chewing around 4–6 months of age. This is a perfect time to replace the dummy or pacifier with chew toys.
A pacifier or dummy limits how much a baby uses the tongue and lip muscles and will impact the way the shape of the jaws develops. On the other hand, chew toys activate the tongue and jaw muscles to help develop the chew reflex.
If you continue to use a pacifier, make sure you remove it once they have gone to sleep to limit the amount of time they spend sucking.
Myo Munchee Bebe is only available for purchase from a practitioner who can ensure optimal oral health outcomes.
Find a Munchee Certified Practitioner near you from the button below.
Even babies without visible issues benefit from chewing — it’s a natural way to ensure optimal oral and facial development.
A Myo Munchee Bebe may be helpful for general oral tone, combatting mouth breathing, and as an oral motor exerciser and teething tool. Active use of a Myo Munchee every day helps keep the body’s natural chewing function on track!