Tongue thrust is a condition when the tongue pushes forward too much when swallowing or even when resting. Normally, when you swallow, your tongue should go up on the roof of the mouth. While tongue thrusting makes it end up between the front teeth or pressed against them. Such tongue position leads to teeth malocclusion in most cases. Tongue thrust most often manifests in children, but, if not treated earlier, it can be an issue in adults.
Although some of us don't even notice we’re tongue thrusting, it leads to serious disorders requiring treatment. Tongue thrust often results in bite and teeth issues, and facial structure changes.
When the tongue ends up between the front teeth, it forces them to move. Thus, teeth misalignment causes bite troubles. Open bite is a common result of tongue thrusting. Open bite is a condition when the front teeth don’t touch when the mouth is closed, creating a gap between the front upper and lower teeth. Read our guide on overbite vs underbite.
An open bite is not only about facial aesthetics, it can be harmful to teeth wear and proper chewing. Moreover, speech also might be affected by the open bite, resulting in lisping.
The tongue-thrusting habit has a major effect on the teeth. Due to the constant tongue pushing between the front teeth, they can’t help but deform with time. As a result, tongue thrusting leads to dental problems requiring orthodontic interference.
Among the effects of tongue thrust on the teeth there are:
Tongue thrusting inevitably affects facial structure due to dental and swallowing troubles. The face then tends to elongate similarly to the mouth breather's face structure. It happens because the tongue thrust doesn’t let you close the mouth and follow a proper swallowing pattern. As a result, the lower jaw goes down, the palate narrows down together with the dental arches. These features created a long face that usually looks tired.
The first signs of tongue thrust usually manifest in childhood. The most common symptoms of a tongue thrust include:
As infants almost every one of us tends to tongue thrust, it’s normal within being breastfed. Yet, if the tongue-thrusting habit continues it leads to unpleasant consequences in adulthood.
So, what are the main causes of tongue thrust?
These are the tongue thrust causes that mostly manifest in childhood. Yet a person may face a tongue thrusting problem in adult age.
A person may face a tongue thrusting problem in adult age if the childhood tongue thrusting habit was not treated. However, there are cases when tongue thrust begins in adult age. The causes of thrusting are usually the same as in children, so the signs are also similar.
Read also: mouth breathing ruined my face
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The first step on the way to stopping tongue thrust is proper diagnostics. If you suspect having tongue thrust or notice some symptoms in your kid, it’s recommended to visit a specialist. Tongue thrusting is a condition that can be diagnosed by one of the following doctors:
The doctor offers a treatment that may include:
Before orthodontic treatment, it’s important to eliminate any impediments preventing successful therapy. For example, if any nasal issues require surgical interference or ongoing allergies. Such problems should be addressed before correcting tongue thrust, swallowing, and speech issues.
A popular method of tongue thrust treatment is a “tongue crib”, which is mostly used for children. It's an orthodontic appliance with two rings and wiring that helps to correct tongue thrust and open bite. Also, tongue cribs are useful to wean a kid from thumb sucking, as the tool makes it uncomfortable. It can be applied as a night guard for tongue thrust, preventing tongue thrusting during sleep.
Adults can also undergo orthodontic treatment. Especially to eliminate the damage of tongue thrusting. They apply braces to correct crooked teeth and use appliances to treat bite disorders.
Not every case of tongue thrusting needs professional treatment. Thus, everyone can train themselves to keep the tongue in the correct position with DIY remedies.
Try the following remedy to get used to placing your tongue properly and train the correct swallowing pattern. All you need is a small sugar-free candy.
Repeat regularly to form a habit of proper swallowing. Such a remedy also helps to train the tongue muscles, which will make it easier with time.
Mewing is a technique that involves placing the tongue on the roof of the mouth and swallowing in a way that promotes correct alignment of the teeth and jaw. By practicing mewing regularly, individuals with tongue thrust can train their tongue to stay in the correct position and improve their speech and swallowing.
For more information on mewing, you can check out this article on how to mew and mewing before and after.
Some may consider speech-language pathologists to deal only with speech impediments. Yet they can be very helpful when treating tongue thrust. The specialists offer exercises to promote correct tongue posture and swallowing patterns. Also, if there are any articulation issues, they can be addressed with adequate regular exercises. Speech therapy is also aimed to eliminate habits like thumb sucking.
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Myofunctional therapy appears to be one of the most effective tongue thrust treatments. This kind of therapy is aimed to treat any functional issues with the tongue and face. Orofacial myofunctional therapy uses various exercises to form proper breathing and swallowing habits. As well as strengthen facial muscles and oral health.
The positive impact of applying myofunctional therapy to treat tongue thrust was reviewed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information. According to the study, orofacial myofunctional therapy:
Here are a few myofunctional exercises for tongue thrust:
Yes, because if the tongue thrust is not treated, the results of braces won’t stay for long. Crooked teeth are a consequence, while tongue thrust is the main problem. To get a good result from orthodontic treatment, the main problem should be eliminated.
Yes, improper tongue position can affect the dental arch. Correct tongue posture is important to keep the result of the orthodontic treatment.
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