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Oral Motor Skills & Dental Health in Children: They’re More Connected Than You Think

Oral Motor Skills & Dental Health in Children: They’re More Connected Than You Think

Posted by Emily Riela, MS, CCC-SLP on 6th Feb 2026

As a speech-language pathologist, and the daughter of a dental hygienist, I grew up surrounded by conversations about teeth and oral health. Add in my own childhood experience with protruding teeth and a Class II malocclusion, known as a deep overbite, it’s no surprise that I view oral development through a blended lens as a therapist. While dentistry and speech-language pathology are distin …
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New Year, New Sensory Diet: Tips, Tools, & Strategies

New Year, New Sensory Diet: Tips, Tools, & Strategies

Posted by Lauren Fouché, OTR/L on 16th Jan 2026

New Year, New Sensory Diet It’s early January, and today was my kids’ first day back at school. As much as I loved the holiday break, I found myself, and my kids, craving routine, though they would never admit it. For the past week or so of break, my 9-year-old had been thumping his sister on the head for no apparent reason, parkouring off the furniture, and begging his dad for nightly …
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An Oral Motor Workout for the New Year: 10 Easy Exercises

An Oral Motor Workout for the New Year: 10 Easy Exercises

Posted by Stephanie Coe, OTR/L, SWC, PAM, CLEC, Morgan Kollenda, MS, OTR/L, and Sarina Tetley, OTD, OTR/L on 5th Jan 2026

Let’s kick off the New Year with new workout goals for the kids! Oral Motor Edition! Oral motor strength and coordination is essential for supporting safe mealtimes, nutritional intake, and independence in feeding. Here are some fun exercises that can help build the oral motor skills needed for chewing, drinking, swallowing, and overall feeding success — all with the help of the Z-Vibe …
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10 Most Common Things People Chew On & What to Use Instead

10 Most Common Things People Chew On & What to Use Instead

31st Dec 2025

At ARK, we love answering your recommendation questions across our social media, customer service email and phone, and in person for those who have visited us at our HQ in South Carolina! Over a quarter century of making chews and the recommendations that come with that, we’ve compiled a list of the most common objects people chew on, and what chew tools we recommend using instead for a safe …
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