Proper posture when sitting or standing reduces back pain. But did you know there is such a thing as proper tongue posture? 

“Stand up straight!” You’ve probably heard that advice many times when you were young. Good posture, whether sitting or standing, maintains your balance and reduces back pain. Yet your spine isn’t the only part of your body where proper posture is important. Maintaining proper tongue is also essential as it affects your teeth alignment and how you speak. 

But how do you know if you have improper tongue posture? An examination by your dentist can determine if your tongue isn’t where it should be. Here’s a brief look at proper tongue posture and how it shapes your face and teeth structure.

What is proper tongue posture?

When at rest — meaning, when you’re not chewing or speaking — your tongue should touch the roof of your mouth. The tongue should also remain behind your front teeth. As the strongest muscle in your mouth, your tongue greatly influences your tooth alignment and facial structure. Your upper jaw or maxilla can grow wider if your tongue sits correctly at rest. And with a wider maxilla, your teeth grow in proper alignment.

Conversely, if your tongue floats to the bottom of your mouth or is somehow out of position, your maxilla may narrow, causing overcrowded teeth and problems with your bite. Improper tongue placement may pull your chin and jawline downward, possibly giving you a “long face” appearance. Improper tongue posture could also result in speech disorders, such as the inability to pronounce certain sounds.

Improper tongue posture may be due to mouth breathing caused by allergies or nasal congestion. When you breathe through your mouth, your tongue isn’t against the roof of your mouth. Thumb sucking is another possible reason. Children should be checked at an early age for improper tongue placement, which could impact their tooth alignment.

How to get better tongue posture

If improper tongue posture leads to overcrowding or malocclusion, orthodontics may be the best treatment. A study of 446 children linked improper tongue alignment to an anterior open bite. This misalignment may result from pressure from the tongue on the teeth. The use of braces or other orthodontic devices can reverse the malocclusion.

Another treatment option is orthotropics, which treats misaligned teeth by correcting tongue posture to widen the maxilla without using orthodontic appliances. 

An orthodontist can examine your teeth and tongue and decide on a treatment option if you have a malocclusion. Your orthodontist can also diagnose improper tongue posture and recommend therapy along with orthodontics. One possible treatment is this exercise to improve tongue alignment:

• Position the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
• Suction your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth.
• Close your mouth. Hold and breathe normally if you can.

Do this several times a day. With practice, you’ll become more aware of where your tongue is when it’s resting. Over time, you’ll shift your tongue into proper posture.

Get perfect teeth

Schedule an appointment at Espire’s Colorado Springs location today! Our highly trained dentists can check your mouth and tongue and recommend treatments to give you straight teeth. Don’t live near our Colorado Springs office? Find one of our other locations near you.

Colorado Springs
8610 Explorer Drive #315
Colorado Springs, CO 80920