Ep. 73, From Chewing Device to Neurological Tool: The MyoMunchee Journey, Dr. Mary Bourke

📝 In this episode of ASAP Pathway; The Podcast,  Dr. Stacy sits down with Australian chiropractor and Myomunchee leader Dr. Mary Bourke to explore the powerful connection between oral function, neurological development, and lifelong health.Dr. Bourke shares the story behind the Myomunchee device—originally developed by her father in the 1960s after observing the powerful jaw structure of indigenous populations and recognizing the role chewing plays in oral health. What began as a periodontal and salivary health tool eventually revealed broader impacts on jaw development, bite alignment, and muscular function.
The conversation expands into the neurological foundations of oral development, including primitive reflexes, early feeding patterns, and how sucking, chewing, swallowing, and breathing must coordinate for proper development. Dr. Bourke explains how retained reflexes, prolonged pacifier use, and missed developmental milestones can influence oral function, nervous system regulation, and even behavioral patterns later in life.
They also discuss the growing importance of collaboration between dentistry, chiropractic care, speech therapy, and other healthcare disciplines to support early childhood development. The episode highlights the importance of recognizing dysfunction early and introduces the Oral Motor Foundations program, designed to help healthcare professionals understand developmental milestones and support healthy neurological integration.

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Myomunchee Oral Motor Foundations


Are you a practitioner working in the 0-2 year space? 
Explore the Myo Munchee Baby Certification pathway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nw_4auCdg0&feature=youtu.be 

Are you a parent?
Visit https://www.myomunchee.com to access parent Resources or to get in touch with a Myo Munchee Certified practitioner.

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⏱ CHAPTERS:
00:00 — Introduction to Dr. Mary Bourke and Myomunchee
02:24 — The history of Myomunchee and its 1966 patent
04:25 — Discovering chewing’s impact on oral health and salivary function
06:30 — Early research with Osaka Dental University and children’s chewing studies
08:01 — Chiropractic perspectives on TMJ, posture, and full-body health
11:37 — Why healthcare silos prevent whole-body understanding
12:47 — Discovering myofunctional therapy as the missing piece
16:00 — Dentistry’s evolving role in prevention and neurological health
18:44 — Introducing Oral Motor Foundations and the brain–mouth connection
26:30 — Primitive reflexes, breastfeeding, and early neurological development
31:30 — Pacifiers, chewing development, and oral milestones
39:55 — Food aversions, nervous system dys