Tongue Thrust Therapy

Tongue Thrust

Imbalance in orofacial muscles is called Tongue Thrust. It is also known as “reverse swallow” or “immature swallow”. In a normal swallow, our tongue is placed on the roof. But in a tongue thrust patient, while you are speaking, swallowing or keeping your tongue at rest for longer period, the tongue protrudes against the incisors. Most of the children exhibit this type of tongue protrusion at their early age, but this reduces to normal by they reach 6. A normal person puts about 1.8kg (4 pounds) of pressure each time he swallows. In a tongue thrust person, he puts the entire pressure on their teeth. Because a normal person and an affected person swallows for about 1200-2000 times in a day. So in a tongue thrust person, the entire pressure can make the teeth out of alignment.

Several Factors Can Cause This Condition:

• Usage of certain faulty types of artificial nipples to feed babies,
• Long term thumb sucking,
• Faulty placement of the tongue due to Nasal congestion (to avoid breathing obstruction, tongue lies low),
  Tonsils,
• Tongue tie or hereditary factor (Ankyloglossia)

Treatment Of Tongue Thrusting:

A night guard may be useful, which is placed in the mouth the whole night. Even permanent guards may be placed by the dentist which can be removed or adjusted by the dentist when required. Some oral habit training may be given by a trained therapist. It may be required to change our faulty swallowing patterns. Our muscles associated with the swallowing process need to be educated to change our swallowing pattern. Orthodontic treatment may also be opted in severe cases.

Success Rate Of Treatment:

• 70% of treatments are successful
• 25% of treatments got unsuccessful due to lack of dedication, motivation, cooperation and lack of commitment.
• 5% of treatments cases are unsuccessful due to some uncorrectable factors.