{"id":48849,"date":"2017-12-21T11:43:49","date_gmt":"2017-12-21T19:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emergencydentistsusa.com\/?p=48849"},"modified":"2019-02-07T09:28:34","modified_gmt":"2019-02-07T17:28:34","slug":"tongue-thrusting-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emergencydentistsusa.com\/tongue-thrusting-what-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Tongue Thrusting: What to Do If Your Tongue Pushes Your Teeth Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most people occasionally thrust their tongue forward. Sometimes, it\u2019s out of stress or because of something going on with dental health<\/a>. But, for some, tongue thrusting is an ongoing problem that can lead to long-term dental health issues. Tongue thrusting happens because the tongue gets into the habit of thrusting forward in the mouth. A tongue thrust habit often occurs when swallowing or speaking, and it\u2019s also a problem when sleeping (similar to grinding one\u2019s teeth).<\/p>\n

Diagnosing tongue thrusting when it first begins ensures that the problem does not lead to long-term health issues. It\u2019s also easier to reverse and break the habit when it\u2019s caught earlier. The longer you do it the harder it is to break the habit, much the same as all bad habits!<\/p>\n

The average person swallows up to 2000 times per day. Each swallow puts up to five pounds of pressure on the teeth<\/a> by the tongue. When swallowing unnecessarily becomes a habit or the pressure of thrusting is ongoing, it\u2019s easy to see why problems can arise.<\/p>\n

\n“Tongue thrusting can often be spotted by what’s called an anterior open bite, a situation in which the top and bottom front teeth do not meet together when biting down.”<\/p>\n

Dr. Andrew B. Jordan<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What Causes Tongue Thrusting?<\/h3>\n

Tongue thrusting tends to be more common in children than adults, but adults do engage in the habit.<\/p>\n

One of the main causes of problems with tongue thrusting is thumb sucking. Sucking on a thumb tens to build the habit of thrusting the tongue forward, which puts a great deal of pressure on the front teeth. Do your best to break your child\u2019s thumb-sucking habit as early as possible. It can be a tough challenge, but your efforts and your child\u2019s willpower will pay off in the long run.<\/p>\n

\"baby<\/p>\n

Another habit you\u2019ll want to try to curb for your child is drinking out of baby bottles with artificial<\/a> nipples. Obviously, if your child still relies on bottle feeding for nutrition it\u2019s not possible to stop. However, if your child is older and still using a bottle for comfort, you should try to wean him or her off the behavior. The rigidity of bottle nipples tends to encourage thrusting that can turn into a habit over time.<\/p>\n

\"baby<\/p>\n

Children and adults who breath through their mouths also tend to develop thrusting habits. The same if someone struggles with swallowing issues. Sometimes, if the tonsils<\/a> or adenoids are enlarged, or a person has frequent sore throats it can trigger a thrusting habit.<\/p>\n

There are also tongue thrusting causes that are unrelated to behavior. Anyone with an abnormally large tongue might struggle not to thrust the tongue forward. It\u2019s simply too big to sit comfortably in their mouth. And, if you suffer from a neurological, muscular, or other physiological disorder, you might struggle with thrusting.<\/p>\n

There are several different types of tongue thrusting, including:<\/p>\n