Parent’s guide to natural facial growth

Supporting Healthy Face Development in Childhood

Your child’s face is more than what you see in front of you - it’s a living, growing structure that supports vital functions: breathing, eating, sleeping, speaking, and emotional expression necessary to live in social groups. Healthy facial (craniofacial) development forms the foundation for lifelong wellness and confidence.

Many parents assume that a child’s facial structure is pre-ordained by genetics. But in truth, everyday habits - how a child eats, breathes, where it holds its tongue and uses their jaws - can greatly influence how the face grows. The good news? There are a few small things parents can do to gently guide that growth in the right direction. The bad news is many don’t know about these simple measures and let modern cultural factors take their toll. You are reading this guide, that’s already great.  

When we support natural facial development, we’re not just helping a child look their best - we’re nurturing clearer breathing, deeper sleep, sharper focus, stronger emotional balance and peak cognitive potential. We can improve how the heart works and help keep stress levels down. In short, we’re helping them thrive now and well into their future.

Why the Face Matters So Much

The face is where identity and health meet. Behind those sweet cheeks and bright eyes lies an incredible system that shapes who a child becomes - physically and emotionally. While it is pretty obvious that the craniofacial region houses our key senses - vision, taste, smell, and hearing, there are just two particular areas that we will focus on.

•    The nose and sinonasal tract, rather complex and intricate organs, form the main passage for oxygen, fuelling brain and body development.

•    The tongue, the palate and jaws are complex as well. They are vital for chewing and clear speech.

When facial bones develop well, the result is not only a balanced, beautiful face but also robust, spacious airways and thus good sleep. What follows good sleep is optimal cognitive focus and behaviour during the day.

However, modern cultural norms such as shortened breastfeeding time, soft diets, prolonged pacifier use, and reduced chewing can disrupt this natural growth, leading to narrower jaws, smaller airways, and related challenges like poor sleep or mouth breathing. The effects can touch everything from attention and mood to confidence and long-term health.

Common Reasons Children’s Faces Don’t Develop as Nature Intended

1. Improper Tongue Placement

The tongue is one of nature’s most powerful tools for facial growth. When it naturally rests gently in a suction hold on the roof of the mouth, it makes mouth breathing impossible (as nature intended) and helps the upper jaw expand properly.

If the tongue stays low in the mouth - often due to habits formed by bottle feeding, prolonged sucking, the upper jaw may not grow as wide as it should, which can reduce the complex apparatus we call the airway space. Correct tongue posture from the earliest days of a child’s life supports a naturally wide, forward facial structure and a lifetime of normal, nose breathing.

2. Not Enough Chewing

Many modern foods are soft, processed, and easy to swallow. While convenient, they don’t give the jawbones and muscles the exercise they need to grow strong. Chewing fibrous or tougher foods - like carrots, apples, or crusty bread - stimulates natural bone growth and muscle balance.

When children primarily consume soft foods, important facial muscle groups remain underutilised, while others become overactive. This imbalance, together with the wrong tongue posture, can result in a narrower and flatter maxilla and mandible, a steep upper palate, diminished support for the mid-face and eyes, and less room for the teeth. Even more concerning, a constricted jaw leaves less space for the airway (situated right behind and above the jaw), leading to breathing and sleep difficulties later in life.

3. Too Much Sucking 

Thumb sucking, pacifiers, sippy cups, and bottle feeding are common soothing habits in young children, but they are well documented to adversely affect facial growth when used too often or for too long. Unlike breastfeeding, which encourages healthy tongue and jaw movement, prolonged sucking on objects pulls the cheeks inward compressing the bones. Without the counterbalance of forces provided by the tongue, over time, this can narrow the upper jaw and alter airway size. This then narrows the palate (makes it steeper) and further encourages improper tongue rest and swallowing patterns. With time, the tongue can’t rest in its physiologically correct natural suction hold against (what should be) a wide, flat palate. There is simply not enough room for it.

A high palate and a narrowed maxilla can also lead to a host of subtle but critically important problems, such as deviated nasal septum and reduced airway space, resulting in long-term breathing difficulties.

Simple, Scientifically-Backed Ways to Support Healthy Jaw Growth

1. Breastfeed when possible

Breastfeeding strengthens the tongue and jaw muscles in a way that bottle feeding rarely does. The rhythmic peristaltic motion of the tongue fosters the proper tongue suction hold rest against the palate, promoting forward jaw growth and therefore healthy nasal breathing.

2. Choose bottle nipples wisely

When bottle feeding, choose soft, sloped nipples that mimic the human breast and require active sucking effort. This encourages proper tongue and jaw movement. Feeding should be slow and rhythmic, giving your baby time to “work” for the milk, much like during nursing.

3. Limit pacifier use

Pacifiers can be sometimes helpful in moderation, but prolonged use encourages tongue notion and resting patterns that ultimately restrict jaw growth. Try to phase them out early and focus on other soothing strategies like cuddling, singing, or gentle rocking.

4. Skip the sippy cup stage

Sippy cups may seem essential, but children can often transition directly from breast or bottle to an open cup. Using a regular cup supports mature swallowing, and correct tongue posture. It engages the right oral muscles - all important for healthy facial development.

5. Encourage chewy, textured foods as early as possible

Children love to experiment with adult food! As soon as your child is ready for solids, include foods that require chewing: raw fruits and vegetables, meats, and crusty bread. These “jaw exercises” strengthen muscles and guide the growth of wider, healthier jaws.

6. Support healthy daily habits

Small daily actions add up to lifelong benefits:

•    Gently close your baby’s lips during rest to encourage nasal breathing.

•    Promote outdoor play - it reduces allergy risks and supports airway health.

•    Teach your child to hold their entire tongue on the roof of the mouth.

•    Watch for signs of mouth breathing. Discourage mouth breathing whenever possible.

•    Observe if your child shows the “immature swallow” and guide towards a swallow which does not visibly engage facial muscles.

•    When baby teeth appear, check if they teeth have lots of space between them. If not, see a qualified specialist. If they are not well spaced out, it could be a sign that the maxilla is not growing wide and forward.

•    If you hear your child snoring, see a specialist. Snoring is not normal for humans, especially for children.

If your child struggles to lift their tongue to the palate, consult a healthcare provider to rule out tongue-tie or lip-tie. Early correction makes a big difference for long-term breathing and facial growth.

Parents Shape More Than Faces. They Shape Futures

As parents, we hold an extraordinary power to influence our children’s lifelong well-being. By encouraging healthy facial and thus airway development, you’re supporting not just how your child looks - but how they breathe, sleep, learn, and grow.

The early years are a unique window of opportunity. Through small, mindful choices you can help build a strong foundation for health, beauty, and vitality that lasts a lifetime.

Healthy and beautiful facial development means restorative sleep, proper oxygenation, emotional balance, cognitive performance and even longevity. In nurturing your child’s face, you’re nurturing their future - one full of energy, confidence, and joy.