San Francisco and Marin CA
Tongue thrust may be a relatively common condition, especially in children, but it isn’t something that should be ignored. Also known as orofacial muscular imbalance, tongue thrust is when the tongue pushes against the backside of the front teeth when a person is swallowing, speaking or resting. If left untreated, tongue thrust can lead to a host of dental, speech and developmental issues. Today, our family dentist who treats tongue thrust in San Francisco is listing the most common symptoms of tongue thrust and what you should do if your child has been diagnosed with it.
- Malocclusion/Open bite
An open bite is when someone’s front teeth slant outward due to constant pressure from the tongue against the teeth, and the top and bottom teeth don’t touch when the mouth is closed. An open bite is often seen in children who suck their thumb or a pacifier for an extended period.
- Speech impediments
People with tongue thrust usually have lisps, especially when pronouncing the “s” and “z” sounds. These two sounds in particular are usually mispronounced as “th” because the tongue protrudes between the teeth.
- Mouth breathing
Many people with tongue thrust breathe through their mouths, whether they’re awake or sleeping. Tongue thrust is associated with larger tonsils, adenoids or nasal obstructions, making it difficult to breathe through the nose. Mouth breathing can lead to dry mouth. Since saliva in the mouth is needed to neutralize bacteria and acids that lead to tooth decay, chronic mouth breathing can lead to cavities and bad breath. An open mouth posture indicates that a person’s tongue isn’t resting in its natural position against the roof of the mouth, which is needed for proper oral development and function. If you notice that you or your child chew with an open mouth so that your food is visible, you may want to contact our Marin family dentist to check for tongue thrust.
- Difficulty swallowing
Instead of the tongue pressing against the roof of the mouth as it should when swallowing, someone with tongue thrust presses the tongue against the back of the teeth, or it can protrude between the teeth. This can lead to frequent swallowing and gagging easily.
How is tongue thrust treated?
Here are the most common ways to correct tongue thrust:
Behavioral changes
We encourage parents to help curb their children’s thumb sucking and pacifier use. This can be done at home through observation and correction or with myofunctional therapy.
Myofunctional therapy
This is physical therapy for the mouth. Exercises for the mouth help retrain the tongue to rest on the roof of the mouth and to move correctly when swallowing.
Facial growth appliance therapy
Ask our neuromuscular dentist in Marin about appliance therapy to treat children with tongue thrust. Appliances help promote proper jawbone and palate growth.
Orthodontics
Braces or clear aligner therapy like Invisalign may help patients who have protruding, gapped or misaligned teeth. Orthodontics are ideal for adults who want straighter teeth while undergoing orofacial myofunctional therapy.
Tongue thrust treatment in the Bay Area
Early intervention with tongue thrust is best to prevent dental, speech and developmental issues down the road.For more information on tongue thrust, call our Bay Area neuromuscular dentist at Glen Park Dental at (415) 799-3900 to schedule a consultation today.
