20 Easy to follow tips on how to stop sucking my tongue

A weird habit (considered bad habit) that many of us don’t even know we have is called “Tongue sucking”. Most people do it unconsciously when they are asleep. The habit is quite common among children as well as adults. This article is for you if you are wondering how to stop sucking my tongue and why some people suck their tongues when they go to sleep and reason behind it.

What is tongue sucking?

Tongue sucking is a condition where one engages in activities like sucking their thumb or sucking their tongue while they sleep. It is more common result of thumb sucking activity to help them sleep, but some adults also do it. The act of sucking your tongue can cause it to swell, which may make breathing while asleep difficult. If you habitually suck your tongue when you sleep, you may have noticed an increase in morning soreness in your tongue.

How is tongue sucking different than tongue thrusting?

Tongue sucking and tongue thrusting are two different oral habits that can both affect the way that you speak, eat, and breathe.

Tongue sucking refers to act of sucking on the tip of your tongue, either intentionally or unconsciously. This habit is most common in children, but it can also occur in adults. It is typically a self-soothing behavior that is used to provide comfort or security, and it is often accompanied by a sucking sound. Tongue sucking can cause problems with the alignment of the lower teeth, as well as with speech problems.

Tongue thrust habit, on the other hand, refers to the act of pushing the tongue forward against the upper front teeth when speaking, swallowing, or resting. This habit can also cause problems with the alignment of the teeth and with speech development. It can also lead to problems speech impediments, future jaw problems. which can cause difficulty with biting and chewing. Tongue thrusting is often associated with the use of pacifiers, bottle feeding finger sucking or other sucking habits, and it can occur in both children and adults.

Reason behind Tongue Sucking when you sleep

Tongue sucking may either indicate a psychological disorder or be a symptom of medical conditions. There are several reasons why a person might suck their tongue while they are sleeping. Some of them are listed below –

• Anxiety – Stress or anxiety can lead to sleeping problems like insomnia and nightmares. Sucking your tongue may be part of the process of regressing to childhood habits.
• Bad Breath – Bad breath is usually caused by an infection, but it can also be caused by an allergy to certain foods or gum disease. Sucking your tongue can be a way to try to clean your mouth of bacteria that could be causing bad breath.
• Trauma – If you have ever had any trauma to your head or face, sucking your tongue may be a reflex.
• Age – Babies and older people may suck their tongues while they are sleeping because they don’t have the dexterity to be able to put their tongues back into their mouths.

How to stop sucking my tongue while you sleep?

It’s not uncommon for people to occasionally suck on their tongue, especially when they are young children or infants. However, if you find that you are regularly sucking on your tongue, it can be a habit that is both distracting and potentially harmful to your dental health. Here are some steps you can take to stop sucking your tongue-

• Identify the triggers- The first step is try to figure out what triggers this habit. Are you stressed, anxious, or bored? Do you suck your tongue when you’re alone or in certain social situations? Understanding the factors that contribute to your sucking can help you address the root cause of the behavior. For some child of young age this could be a subconscious habit.
• Practice mindfulness- Pay attention to when you suck your tongue and try to be aware of the sensation in your mouth. This can help you become more mindful of the habit and make it easier to catch yourself when you start to do it.
• Find a replacement behavior- If you find yourself sucking your tongue when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, try finding a replacement behavior that can help you cope with those emotions. Some ideas might include deep breathing, taking a walk, or doing a relaxation exercise. Find a comforting habit.
• Use positive reinforcement- Reward yourself for not sucking your tongue. For example, you could give yourself a small treat or take a few minutes to do something you enjoy every time you go a certain amount of time without sucking your tongue.
• Seek help if necessary -If you’re having trouble breaking the sucking habit on your own, consider seeking professional help. They can provide you with additional strategies and support to help you stop sucking your tongue. In some cases you might need to visit speech therapist or consider orthodontic treatment.

In addition to the above steps, there are some things you can do to help prevent tongue-sucking and protect your dental health –

• Keep your mouth clean – Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily to keep your mouth clean and healthy. This can also help prevent dental problems that may be caused or exacerbated by tongue-sucking. This is one of the natural way to maintain dental health
• Avoid sugary and acidic foods and drinks – These types of foods and drinks can contribute to tooth decay and other dental problems. Limiting your intake of sugary and acidic foods and drinks can help protect your teeth and gums.
• Use a mouth guard -If you tend to suck your tongue while you sleep, a mouth guard can help prevent damage to your teeth and gums. A mouth guard can also be useful if you grind your teeth at night.
• Get regular dental check-ups – Seeing a dental professional regularly can help identify and address any dental problems that may be caused or exacerbated by tongue-sucking.
• Use a Tongue Retainer – If you want to stop sucking your tongue, a tongue retainer can do the trick. A tongue retainer is a device that goes around your tongue and attaches to your teeth. This helps you to keep your tongue in your mouth when you go to sleep.
• Wear a Tongue Scraping Device – A tongue scraping device is a great way to reduce bacteria on your tongue and get rid of bad breath. All you have to do is scrape your tongue with the tool before you go to sleep, and you won’t have to worry about bad breath.
• Use a Tongue Cleaning Device – If you want to get rid of any bacteria that may have built up on your tongue, you can use a tongue cleaning device to do so. A tongue cleaning device will help to remove any bacteria from your tongue, and it will also reduce bad breath.
• Get Enough Sleep – If you want to stop sucking your tongue while you sleep, you need to make sure that you get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation often leads to bad habits, like sucking your tongue.
• Stay Away from Oral Hygiene Products – If you have bad breath, you may think that you should use more oral hygiene products like mouthwash, toothpaste, and dental floss. Instead, you should use less. Using more oral hygiene products will only add to the bacteria in your mouth, and that will make your bad breath worse.
• Stay Away from Alcohol and Caffeine – Alcohol and caffeine can both lead to bad breath and can make you more likely to suck your tongue when you sleep. If you want to stop sucking your tongue when you sleep, you need to stay away from alcohol and caffeine.
• Brush your teeth and gums before going to bed – You should brush your teeth before you go to bed so that you can avoid having bad oral hygiene.
• Sleep on your back – Sleeping on your back while sleeping on your side can worsen your snoring problem
• Avoid eating too much before going to bed – Eating too much before going to bed can make you very uncomfortable.
• Avoid sleeping with your mouth open – Mouth breathing is bad for your health, so try to keep your mouth closed while sleeping. Tongue sucking is a common habit for mouth breather.

Why do people suck their tongues when they sleep?

There are a few possible reasons why people may suck their tongues while they sleep.

One possibility is that the person is experiencing sleep-related breathing problems, such as sleep apnea or snoring. These conditions can cause the person to experience partial awakenings during the night, which can lead to unconscious tongue sucking as a means of self-soothing.

Another possibility is that the person is experiencing stress or anxiety, which can lead to tongue sucking as a coping mechanism. This habit may be more likely to occur during periods of increased stress or anxiety, or when the person is feeling particularly anxious or upset.

It is also possible that the person simply has a habit of sucking their tongue, which they engage in unconsciously during sleep. This habit may have been developed during childhood and persisted into adulthood. In long run this could result in jaw pain or directly impact facial muscles.

The repercussions of tongue sucking when sleeping

• Difficulty breathing while sleeping – If you keep up the habit, at some point the frenulum will tear which is very painful. In some cases, it can cause a cyst in the tongue.
• Worsened snoring – If you grind your teeth while sleeping, it can worsen your snoring problem.
• Mouth ulcers – Sucking your tongue can cause it to become inflamed and cause sores on it.
• Lack of Sleep – If you have this habit, it will be harder for you to sleep soundly and get the rest you need.
• Bad oral hygiene – Sucking your tongue removes the plaque from the tongue which makes it harder to brush your teeth and gums.
• Changes in the way you taste food – Keeping your tongue in your mouth while eating can make it harder to taste your food.
• Changes in Oral health – Without proper oral hygiene, your teeth are more likely to become decayed and infected.
• Tooth misalignment – Sucking your tongue can cause you to lose your teeth faster than normal.

Conclusion

Tongue sucking is a common oral habit that can be observed in both children and adults. While it is generally a harmless behavior, it can lead to problems with the alignment of the teeth and with speech development if it persists for an extended period of time. If you or someone you know sucks their tongue and is looking for ways to stop, there are a number of strategies that can be effective in breaking the habit.

These may include using a mouth guard or other form of physical barrier to prevent tongue sucking, using positive reinforcement and rewards to encourage the person to stop sucking their tongue, or seeking the guidance of a healthcare professional or speech therapist. With the right approach and support, it is possible to overcome the habit of tongue sucking and live a happier, more confident life.

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