Tongue thrusting is a very common dental problem among speech-disordered people and many have struggled to control it. This article will shed some light on the causes of tongue thrusting, its effects, and how to stop tongue thrusting. Tongue thrusting refers to the forward motion of the tongue when speaking or pronouncing words. Tongue thrust habit is something that many people are unaware of, especially those who have never had speech therapy.
It’s a problem that can cause problems for both speech and eating in daily life, and can be especially problematic for children who are learning to speak. It’s a common problem for those with Cleft palate and other speech issues, and those who have been treated for tongue cancer.
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What is tongue thrusting?
Tongue thrust is a common dental problem that can cause a number of issues, including tooth alignment, tooth decay and speech impediment. Tongue thrust is when the tip of the tongue pushes against the lower teeth while chewing and swallowing. This can result in not only bad breath, but also problems with speech. The constant contact with the teeth causes them to erode, which can lead to cavities and other problems.
The mouth is a rich environment for bacteria, so it is important to keep it as clean as possible. To prevent problems, try to keep your mouth clean at all times. You should be careful not to eat too quickly or chew too quickly. It is also important to keep your teeth and tongue clean. Regular dental checkups are also important to maintain good oral hygiene.
When you get tongue thruster, it feels like your mouth is full of sharp little teeth that keep attacking your tongue from the inside. It’s painful, and even talking or eating becomes a challenge. Tongue thrust can be very annoying and uncomfortable, but there isn’t much you can do about it unless you are willing to go for an expensive tongue tip reduction surgery. This article will help you understand what tongue thrust is and how to get rid of it once and for all!
Two main reasons why people end up developing tongue thrust are: speech habits and speech disorder.
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Signs of tongue thrust
One of the most obvious signs of tongue thrust is your tongue crib pushing against your teeth when you swallow. Although this symptom is typically not harmful, it can cause you to have a sore throat and tooth decay if left untreated. Other signs of tongue thrust include:
- Having to open your mouth wider than normal to fit your food
- Having difficulty breathing through your nose
- Tingling in your tongue or the roof of your mouth
- Having trouble speaking because your tongue pushes against the roof of the mouth
- Tongue thrust can be caused by a number of factors, including a misaligned jaw or tongue position.
If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to visit your dentist or get an orthodontic treatment plan as soon as possible. Your dentist will be able to perform a thorough oral exam and determine the cause of this problem. If necessary, he or she may refer you to an orthodontist for orthodontic appliances or tongue thrust appliance to correct the misalignment in your facial structure (jaw or tongue) for a successful treatment
Causes of Tongue Thrusting
When someone thrusts their tongue while pronouncing words, it can cause a variety of problems. It can cause one’s speech to sound abnormal, it could lead to bad habits like nasal sounds, it could lead to bad posture, and more. The main cause of tongue thrusting is not actually the tongue itself but rather the floor of the mouth. When someone uses their tongue to push against the back of their teeth, it pushes their tongue forward. Tongue thrusting can have many causes including bad habits, poor posture, anxiety, and stress.
How Does Tongue Thrusting Affect Your Speech?
As we said above, tongue thrusting can cause a variety of speech problems. It can cause one’s speech to sound abnormal, it could lead to bad habits like nasal sounds, it could lead to bad posture, it could lead to bite problems, bad swallowing habits, affect the bottom teeth, sleep apnea, and more. If you are tongue-thruster, it can also affect your tongue posture. When someone thrusts their tongue when speaking, they don’t open mouth wide enough when they speak. This can also cause one to end up with a tight jaw and impact swallowing pattern.
Easiest way to stop tongue thrusting!
The easiest way to stop tongue thrusting is to focus on retraining the floor of the mouth. This is the easiest way to retrain your tongue because the floor of the mouth is responsible for this tongue movement. If you retrain your floor of the mouth, then your tongue will naturally stop thrusting. You can do this by doing exercises like the lip pucker exercise or the lip seal exercise. These exercises help build up the floor muscles or muscles of the face so they can be strong enough to hold the tongue in place. You can also strengthen your tongue by doing a tongue strengthening exercise. This will also help you stop tongue thrusting as well!
How to stop tongue thrusting – Few more tips
Most cases of tongue thrust in orthodontic patients can be stopped using following methods unless you have a significant problem.
- Bite retainer: If you still have trouble stopping your tongue from thrusting, it’s a good idea to wear a bite retainer. This will keep your tongue from being able to push against the back of your teeth and force the tongue to stay in place. A bite retainer may seem like a drastic solution, but it is a good idea for those who are still struggling to control their tongue thrust.
- Lip stretchers: Another great way to help stop tongue thrusting is with lip stretchers. You can wear lip stretchers when you’re not speaking to help train your mouth to stay in the right position.
- Wearing a retainer: A retainer can also help stop tongue thrusting. You may want to talk to your dentist to see if they recommend wearing a retainer or not.
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Tongue exercises for Tongue thrust
Tongue thrusting happens when your tongue pushes forward in the mouth during speech tasks. It can cause a variety of issues, such as reduced clarity in speech, difficulty with swallowing, and even dental issues. In order to reduce tongue thrust, it’s important to work on exercises that strengthen the facial muscles that control the tongue and lips. This will help you reduce the amount of force your tongue is exerting when you speak. n addition, a speech therapist can help to gently train the tongue to keep it in the proper position. Tongue thrust exercises can also be done at home.
Simply put some water into a small cup, put your tongue over the top of the cup, and drink the water. This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles of our mouth that keep your tongue in place so it doesn’t push out too far and interfere with your speech. Remember you would need to have sincere commitment and understand warning signs and if need be look at treatment options.
Conclusion
As you can see, tongue thrusting can cause a variety of speech problems, even if it’s just a slight issue. If you notice that you are tongue-thrusting, it’s important to work on stopping the habit. You can do this by focusing on retraining the floor of your mouth. One way to do this is with exercises like the lip pucker exercise or the lip seal exercise. Another way is by strengthening your tongue with a tongue strengthening exercise.
With these methods, you can easily stop tongue thrusting and prevent all of the negative effects it has on your speech. It is recommended that you should visit orthodontic for any orthodontic problems and successful correction of tongue thrust.
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