After running her own family practice in London, chiropractor Dr Emma Burniston arrived in the Southern Highlands, bringing with her a passion for airways-focused chiropractic care, and a small, unusual, yet surprisingly powerful tool called the Myo Munchee.
Emma’s interest wasn’t sparked in a clinic, but at home. “When my eldest was two, I noticed he was drooling all the time. Something just wasn’t right,” Emma recalls. “That personal experience set me off on a journey of learning. I wanted to understand how chewing and jaw development could affect overall health, and this led me to discover the Myo Munchee.”
That discovery soon became a professional passion. Today, Emma is one of only two chiropractors in the Southern Highlands to use the Myo Munchee protocol. Combining her chiropractic skills with this simple, innovative tool to help mainly children [but also some adults] improve jaw function, breathing and overall wellbeing.
What Is the Myo Munchee and How Does It Work?
It’s a funny-sounding name for a very clever tool!
The Myo Munchee [pronounced MY-oh MUN-chee] is a small chewing device made of soft, medical-grade silicone. It’s shaped a bit like a soft mouthguard, but with a handle attached.
Emma sums it up simply: “It’s basically a gym for the mouth.”
Developed by an Australian dentist in the 1950s, the Myo Munchee is designed to retrain oral function which encourages proper chewing, breathing and swallowing. By giving the mouth and jaw the workout they’ve been missing, it helps restore natural function in a way that’s surprisingly simple and accessible.
And while it’s a standout therapy, Emma is clear: “It’s not the whole picture.”
“Myo Munchee is a versatile adjunct tool that complements what I already do in practice,” she explains. “It’s not about replacing chiropractic care, it’s about supporting it, so my patients get the best possible outcome.”
Why Chewing Is Essential for Jaw, Breathing and Overall Health
“Quite simply, we’re meant to chew,” Emma explains. “Our grandparents ate tougher, fibrous foods. Today, so much of what we eat is soft and processed – which means our jaws, teeth and tongues aren’t getting the workout they need.”
But chewing isn’t just about teeth, it also affects jaw development, posture, speech and even sleep.
In children, lack of proper chewing can show up as crooked or crowded teeth, mouth breathing or drooling, speech challenges, ongoing ear problems, teeth grinding at night, or restless sleep. In adults, it can contribute to jaw tension, teeth grinding, headaches, or ongoing neck and shoulder issues.
“These are the little red flags parents often notice,” Emma says. “But families don’t always realise how much chewing, breathing, and jaw development impact their child’s health. My goal is to make that connection clear, and to offer something that’s effective, accessible, and really empowering.”
The principle behind Myo Munchee is actually pretty simple! Give your mouth the workout it’s been missing, and you can see improvements across the whole body.
An Airways-Focused Chiropractic Approach for Kids and Adults
Emma describes herself as an airways-focused chiropractor – she looks beyond the spine to see how breathing, posture, and oral function all connect [and trust us, they’re more connected than you might think!].
“I’m multidisciplinary by nature,” she explains. “I’ll work alongside speech pathologists, dentists, or myofunctional therapists if needed. But the Myo Munchee is such a powerful tool because it gives families something practical they can do at home. With consistency, it makes a huge difference.”
The Myo Munchee has gained global recognition as a simple, non-invasive therapy that can help address a wide range of issues.
For kids, that might mean chewing on their Myo Munchee for five to ten minutes a day, gradually improving jaw strength, tongue position and breathing patterns. Adults also use it! For tension, grinding, posture, or simply to retrain nasal breathing.
“It’s not a quick fix,” Emma admits. “It takes commitment. But it’s incredibly rewarding to see children start sleeping better, or adults notice their jaw tension ease. These changes ripple through the whole body, and it’s great when you’re able to help achieve that.”
How the Myo Munchee Helps Children and Adults in the Southern Highlands
“I love going on a journey with clients, because ultimately, we all have a nervous system, whether you’re a baby or right at the other end of the spectrum. And every nervous system deserves care,” Emma says.
Her approach is really about helping your body do what it’s naturally meant to do: heal, regulate, and just thrive. That’s where the Myo Munchee fits in. It’s a simple device designed to retrain chewing and oral function so the body can get back to working the way it was built to.
Emma isn’t just about fixing what hurts [though she’s brilliant at that too]. Her focus is on how well your nervous system is functioning, because when that’s working at its best, your whole body can do the magical things it was designed to do.
“For me, it’s about improving function and helping the nervous system regulate properly… and naturally,” Emma says. “That’s what true health is about.”
Chiropractic Care for Every Stage of Life
Until recently, families often had to travel to Sydney for this type of therapy. Now, thanks to Emma, they can access it right here in the Southern Highlands.
Emma is currently practising alongside long-established chiropractor Dr Simon Gilsenan and the team at Moss Vale Chiropractic Centre, which has been caring for the Highlands community for over three decades. With Emma on board, the clinic is growing in new and progressive ways – introducing therapies like the Myo Munchee – while staying true to its family-focused, whole-body care roots.
“I’m super excited to be working with Dr Gilsenan here in Moss Vale after 15 years in London,” Emma says. “It feels wonderful to be able to bring back all the experience, skills and new techniques I’ve gained overseas including becoming a certified Myo Munchee practitioner and make them available to families here in the Highlands.”
Curious to know more?
If you’ve noticed signs like mouth breathing, grinding, speech challenges, or you’re simply curious about whether Myo Munchee could help, Emma is here to guide you.
To book or learn more, call the Moss Vale Chiropractic Centre on 02 4869 1714 or contact them online.
If your gut’s telling you something isn’t quite right, trust it, this might be exactly what your child needs. Call Emma and discover how Myo Munchee could make a real difference.
Emma is ready to help you and your family thrive!
