Improper tongue rest posture can lead to incorrect swallow patterns known as “tongue thrust”.

Poor tongue rest posture can be the result of physical restrictions like the presence of a tongue-tie, or learned as a habit from use of a bottle and/or pacifiers as a baby, thumb sucking habits or other oral habits like nail biting. In these instances, the body will “find a way” around the improper tongue posture in order to swallow because it has to eat and drink to survive, resulting in a tongue thrust swallow pattern.

Swallowing problems can result in ailments such as acid reflux, stomach aches, gas, hiccupping, and other digestive issues. An infant with swallowing issues is often diagnosed with reflux or labeled a “spitty baby”, and this can very often be linked to an undiagnosed tongue-tie. Orthodontic relapse is another common issue with individuals with tongue thrust swallow patterns.

Myofunctional therapy can help by identifying a tongue-tie (if present), and retraining and establishing proper tongue rest posture and swallow patterns.