What is Tongue Thrust?
Updated: Aug 1, 2021
The resting posture of the tongue and facial muscles play a vital role:
If the tongue is constantly resting against the front teeth and the upper lip in short or flaccid (weak and flabby), the front teeth will be pushed forward. Dentists and orthodontists are concerned with the effects of the tongue and facial muscles on how teeth fit together. Evidence proving that too much tongue pressure against the teeth on the inside and an unequal amount of facial muscle pressure from the outside or a tongue thrust swallow/incorrect tongue resting posture may result in malocclusion or misalignment of the teeth. The resting posture of the tongue and facial muscles play an even more vital role: If the tongue is constantly resting against the front teeth and the upper lip in short or flaccid (weak and flabby), the front teeth will be pushed forward.
You can carry tongue thrust forward into adulthood from untreated childhood habits or issues. If you’re an adult with a tongue-thrusting issue, it could’ve developed because of chronic allergies or swelling of the adenoids and tonsils. Stress may also be a contributing factor. Resulting in mouth breathing which is the inability to close the lips completely at rest as well as an Open Bite which occurs when the front teeth don’t meet when the teeth are closed.
There are reports of tongue thrust developing later in life, but it’s not common. The symptoms of tongue thrust in adults are similar to those in children. Some symptoms, like messy eating, aren’t likely to be as apparent. You may thrust your tongue in your sleep or it may collapse into the airway causing sleep-disordered breathing. In addition to the symptoms listed above, an adult with tongue thrust might’ve developed an elongated facial structure or appearance because of the inability to close their mouth and swallow normally.
They might also have a larger-than-normal tongue. Additionally, an open bite caused by tongue thrust can create trouble when eating. If the front teeth don’t meet properly, biting into certain foods can be uncomfortable. A person may also be unable to bite through some foods, like lettuce or lunch meat, with their front teeth. Instead, the food might slip through the gap in their teeth.
A tongue thrust left untreated can lead to malformed teeth, long-term damage to swallowing, digestion, sleep, deviated septum, and speech, like a lisp over certain sounds. It can also cause your facial shape to elongate and your tongue to protrude from between your teeth.
Tongue thrust is a highly treatable condition. A full recovery can be made if you commit to attending the appropriate therapy sessions such as myofunctional therapy and address the other underlying health conditions that contribute to your tongue thrusting.
Related Articles:
What Sleep Apnea and Sleep Bruxism does to your Health! (taslconsultants.com)
Therapy for Jaw, Teeth, Swallowing Airway & Speech (taslconsultants.com)
How Dentists, Orthodontists, and Myofunctional Therapists Can Work Together (taslconsultants.com)
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