Do you ever find yourself waking up with a sore head and a stiff neck? Do you often suffer from headaches, jaw pain, and even ear aches? It may surprise you to know that these symptoms can all be linked to one thing: your tongue posture. As a dentist, Dr. Tad Morgan in Texas has seen these kinds of problems time and time again. That’s why he’s on a mission to educate his patients about the importance of proper tongue posture, and how to improve it.
But first, what exactly is tongue posture? Your tongue posture is the position of your tongue while at rest. Ideally, your tongue should be resting on the roof of your mouth, their entire palate, behind your front teeth. If your tongue is not resting in this position, it can have a knock-on effect to the rest of your body and, ultimately, your health.
Why is Tongue Posture Important?
Your tongue posture is important as it contributes to the proper alignment of jaws and teeth, correctly shapes the upper arch, and serves as a support structure for the orofacial muscles. It also supports the development of the facial structures, in particular the jaws, allowing for a full wide smile and a straight profile.
However, when your tongue is not resting in the correct position, these structures can be misaligned. This can, in turn, cause a range of negative effects, such as impaired breathing, poor posture, and an increased risk of developing dental, skeletal and facial asymmetries.
Common Problems Resulting from Poor Tongue Posture
One of the most common problems resulting from poor tongue posture is teeth misalignment. Improper tongue posture can fail to provide the necessary support structure for teeth and jaw development, increasing the risk of developing a malocclusion, or misaligned bite. This can lead to a range of issues, such as overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, or an overextended anterior. Other oral issues, such as speech defects and palatal abnormalities, can also arise due to poor tongue posture.
Furthermore, poor tongue posture can have a direct impact on other structures within the body, including the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the neck, and even the posture. For example, chronic prongued forward posture can cause discomfort and potential pain in the TMJ and the neck.
How to Improve Tongue Posture
Correct Breathing
The first step to improving your tongue posture is to correct your breathing. This is because proper tongue posture and breathing pattern are closely linked. In a healthy adult, the tongue should naturally become elevated and make contact with the palate when inhaling. Proper inhaling and exhaling promote optimal oxygenation of the muscles and tissues in the body, and lead to the correct tongue posture. If you are a mouth breather, this can be particularly challenging, as mouth breathing leads to lower tongue posture as a compensation for having to breathe through your mouth.
Posture Improvement
Correct posture can also influence your tongue posture. Poor posture, such as slouching, looking down, and sitting too much, can lead to a lowered tongue posture. To improve it, make sure you are practicing good posture at all times. Sit up straight and keep your head level. In addition, try looking up instead of down, and avoid sitting for long periods of time.
Oral Exercise
Oral exercises can also aid in improving your tongue posture. Exercises such as tongue push-ups, tongue twisters, and tongue suction can help to realign the tongue. For example, tongue push-ups involve pushing the tongue into the floor of the mouth before raising the back of the tongue up towards the hard palate. Tongue twisters, on the other hand, can help to stretch and retrain the tongue, and improve its muscle tone.
Tongue Spurring Device
If you struggle to correct your tongue posture on your own, you may want to consider using a tongue spurring device. This device is designed to help correct tongue posture by applying pressure to the tongue, and offers visual and physical guidance to help retrain the tongue.
Tongue Posture and Overall Health
While many people don’t give much thought to their tongue posture, it is crucial for overall health. Proper tongue posture is a foundation for healthy dental and skeletal development, helps to prevent a range of oral health issues, supports optimal breathing and helps to maintain good posture. Therefore, it is important to be aware of your tongue posture and take steps to improve it, as recommended by Dr. Tad Morgan in Texas.