Tongue Thrust Anyone????

[Rickysa]

Kind of an aside :

A "tongue thrust" swallow pattern is a bit of a debatable topic in the orthodontic world...not the fact that some folks push there tongue forward when swallowing (especially with an openbite), but whether it is causative, or adaptive.

Sort of like what came first the chicken or the egg: did the swallow pattern make the openbite/flare the incisors, or does an individual just push their tongue forward to create a seal to swallow because of the way their mouth has developed. Many studies have been done looking at data like the duration of tongue pressure against the teeth, the amount of pressure while swallowing, the number of times a person swallows, resting tongue pressure, resting cheek pressures, etc.

Some people are quite passionate on both sides of the debate...advocates of correcting the swallow pattern, or largely ingoring it and just fixing the teeth/bite.

Just some food for thought!

Dr. S

PS...that dancing purple hippo cracks me up!

[lisaemtp]

I can't figure out whether I do this or not...where is your tongue supposed to sit at rest? I don't have an overbite or an open bite, but will need my palate expanded (probably due to sucking my thumb for so long as a kid). I'm definitely a mouth breather (especially while I'm sleeping - I can control it during the day if I think about it). Hmmm...something else to ask the ortho about!

Lisa

[ChangingBraces]

When you swallow your tongue is suppsed to touch the roof of your mouth, not the back of your front teeth. Tongue thrusting is when your tongue pushes against the teeth when swallowing; it can push out your front teeth &/or cause a gap.
I tongue thrust also & my orthro wanted me to wear this appliance that was essentially a rolling bar behind my front teeth to block my tongue. I only lasted 2 weeks with that thing. It made me miserable. I talked with a SERIOUS lisp & was sometimes barely understandable at all. It also made it almost impossible to eat.
I decided I will take my chances, try my best to break the habit on my own, & hope my teeth dont get a gap again (how long would that take for them to move anyhow? like another 20 yeas?).

[valster]

This is very interesting. Now I'm paranoid that I have a tongue-thrust problem.

I have a small jaw and a long tongue. Or maybe a small jaw and a normal tongue. Now I'm going to think about it every time I eat/swallow.

[turrrtlelove22]

lmao...valster i was so thinking the same thing...im just glad someone said it first. i think about it whn i swallow too ever since i found this topic. so i try to eat something and swallow to see where my tongue goes, and of course you cant make yourself swallow normal whilst thinking about it...LOL. i gave up trying. but i have a long tongue my jaw isnt small but short? i guess...makes my chin look knubby....LOL...hah...im tickled