Have you ever thought about what your tongue does at rest? Otherwise, a dentist warns that he may be holding it in the wrong position.
Placing the tongue incorrectly in the mouth can cause dental and jaw problems, and even displace cartilage in the nose, said Dr. Priya Mistry, a dentist in Vancouver, Washington.
Proper tongue posture includes pressing the tip, middle, and back of the tongue against the roof of the mouth with light suction.
This is the only position that supports the rest of the oral structures and, in turn, keeps the palate, gums and teeth healthy, he said.
But if you let your tongue sink to the back of your mouth, Dr. Mistry explained, you could develop breathing problems.
Dr Mistry said improper tongue posture can lead to mouth breathing and may be related to an underdeveloped palate. This can harm overall oral health, causing cavities and gum inflammation.
Dr. Mistry said there is some correlation between TMJ and poor tongue posture. TMJ disorders cause pain in the jaw, neck, and head and can be chronic, debilitating conditions.
She said: “When the tongue is in the correct position, it puts slight pressure on the roof of the mouth – the roof of the mouth.”
Having poor tongue posture can make you more likely to breathe through your mouth, rather than your nose, but by keeping your tongue close to the roof of your mouth, you can Keep your nasal passages open and clear.
“You can’t breathe through your mouth and still have your tongue in the correct position; it’s impossible.” Dr. Mistry told Goop.
Mouth breathing has been linked to problems with saliva production, which can lead to cavities, cavities, and gum inflammation.
This is because saliva provides a protective layer against bacteria that live in the mouth and produce acid that corrodes teeth.
When you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose, your mouth dries out, leaving your teeth and gums defenseless against bacteria. Dr. Bryan Hill, a Washington-based dentist, wrote.
Additionally, Dr. Mistry, whose practice focuses on treating people with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, a condition that affects the jaw joint, said the majority of her TMJ patients have poor posture. language.
Between five and 12 percent of American adults have a TMJ disorder, according to Cleveland Clinic.
It causes severe pain in the jaw, face and neck and can cause migraines, toothaches, ringing in the ears and clicking in the jaw. Sometimes it also causes jaw locking, arthritis, and can change the way the teeth fit in the mouth.
“I see a link between low tongue posture and TMJ disorders very regularly in my practice,” Dr. Mistry said on her YouTube. channel.
This, he explained, is because keeping the tongue in the proper position, close to the roof of the mouth, helps maintain the shape of the roof of the mouth, called the palate.
The slight upward pressure helps shape the palate into a broad, shallow structure large enough to hold all of your teeth.
This support is important, especially when you are young, to ensure your mouth develops its ideal shape.
“The tongue is an absolute cornerstone of our entire face and our head,” Jessica Luffey said a certified specialist in orofacial myology, which is essentially physical therapy for the mouth and jaw.
Correct tongue posture requires you to keep your entire tongue pressed lightly against the roof of your mouth with gentle suction. Incorrect posture includes a slight sagging of the tongue.
If tongue support is lacking, it can cause the palate to develop more tightly than it should, which can stress surrounding structures, Luffey said.
Dr. Mistry told Goop that the anatomy of the mouth and nose can actually change due to improper tongue posture. The palate may become narrow and arched, pushing into the nasal cavity.
This could potentially cause a deviated septum, when the wall of the nose shifts to one side, making one nasal air passage smaller than the other, causing difficulty and breathing disorders.
This could be the link between TMJ and tongue posture, Dr. Mistry said.
Experts cite a few reasons why someone might lack proper tongue posture.
First, the lingual frenulums. A frenulum occurs when the fibrous membrane that connects the bottom of the tongue to the mouth is shorter or tighter than it should be, limiting the tongue’s range of motion.
Many people are diagnosed with this condition as babies and it can be fixed with minor surgery.
Another reason your tongue may be drooping is because you have allergies or enlarged tonsils. If you are congested by pollen or have a cold that causes your tonsils to swell, you will not be able to breathe through your nose, which will cause you to abandon the tongue position to have more space in your mouth to breathe. .
Finally, other nasal conditions, such as a deviated septum, can cause you to lean toward poor tongue posture.
If you’re not sure what your tongue is doing in your mouth, Dr. Luffey recommended a tongue strength test during a YouTube presentation.
This involves gently placing one hand on your chin, opening your mouth as wide as possible, and then sticking your tongue out of your mouth, “like a surfboard.”
You should be able to hold it in the air without the support of your lips or clenching your jaw, Dr. Luffey said. If you have difficulty doing this, this could be a sign that your tongue is not used to sitting in the proper position.
If you think you may have problems with tongue posture, Dr. Mistry cautioned that you should see a dentist, not try to correct the problem on your own.
If you do, you could inadvertently strain the muscles in your mouth and neck and hurt yourself, he said.