A tongue thrust is a swallowing pattern where the tongue pushes forward against or between the front teeth instead of pressing up against the roof of the mouth. It cannot be stopped by reminders or willpower alone, because the pattern is automatic and driven by muscle coordination. The most effective approach is myofunctional therapy — structured exercises with a trained speech-language pathologist or myofunctional therapist — combined with treating any underlying cause, such as enlarged tonsils, nasal blockage, or an abnormal bite.
For children, early treatment often works well because the swallow pattern is still forming. For adults, the pattern is more established and takes longer to change, but it can still be retrained. In both groups, the key is finding the reason the tongue is thrusting in the first place. Fixing the habit without addressing the cause tends to fail.
What Is A Tongue Thrust And Why Does It Happen?
A tongue thrust is a forward movement of the tongue during swallowing. In a typical swallow, the tongue tip rests against the ridge behind the upper front teeth and the back of the tongue lifts to push food back. With a tongue thrust, the tongue moves forward toward the front teeth or pushes between them.
Everyone swallows hundreds of times a day, mostly without thinking. That is why the pattern matters. A small forward push repeated that often can gradually shift teeth and affect how a person speaks and chews.
Tongue thrust is not a disease. It is a pattern of muscle use, and it usually has a cause. Common causes include:
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, which can push the tongue forward to keep the airway open
- Chronic nasal blockage or mouth breathing
- An open bite or other bite problems
- Thumb sucking or prolonged pacifier use in childhood
- Neurological conditions that affect muscle control, such as in some adults
In many children, a tongue thrust is part of normal development and resolves on its own as the mouth grows and swallowing matures. When it persists past the early school years, or when it is clearly affecting teeth or speech, it is worth having evaluated.
How To Stop A Tongue Thrust In Adults And Kids?
The core treatment is the same for both age groups: retrain the swallow and the resting tongue posture through guided exercises. What differs is the timeline and the amount of effort involved.
Myofunctional therapy is the structured version of this retraining. A therapist teaches a person to notice where the tongue sits at rest, to keep the tongue tip against the roof of the mouth, and to swallow without pushing forward. It also involves strengthening and coordinating the tongue, lips, and jaw.
This therapy is not a quick fix. It takes consistent daily practice over weeks to months. Adults generally need longer than children because the pattern has been in place for decades. Some people need a combination of therapy and orthodontic treatment, especially if teeth have already shifted.
For children, therapy often works best when started early, before the swallow pattern is fully set and before permanent teeth are affected. A speech-language pathologist or a dentist trained in myofunctional disorders can assess whether treatment is needed and when to begin.
One point that gets overlooked: therapy alone may not hold if the underlying cause remains. If a child has large tonsils blocking the airway, or an adult has chronic nasal congestion, the tongue will keep moving forward to protect breathing. Treating the cause — through medical or ENT evaluation — is part of stopping the pattern, not a separate issue.
What Does Tongue Thrust Therapy Actually Involve?
Myofunctional therapy is a set of exercises done in sessions with a therapist and practiced at home. The exact program varies by therapist, but the goals are consistent.
Therapy typically works on several things at once:
- Teaching the tongue to rest against the roof of the mouth rather than the front teeth
- Practicing a correct swallow without forward tongue movement
- Strengthening the tongue and lip muscles
- Improving nasal breathing and keeping the lips closed at rest
- Correcting any speech sounds affected by the tongue position
Progress is measured over time, not overnight. A therapist will usually check whether the new swallow pattern holds under real conditions — eating, drinking, talking — not just during exercises. This matters because a pattern that only shows up in a therapy session has not been learned yet.
There is no single exercise or device that reliably fixes a tongue thrust on its own. Over-the-counter “tongue training” products and apps are marketed for this purpose. No large human trials have confirmed that these products correct a tongue thrust without professional assessment and guidance. The evidence for myofunctional therapy itself is strongest for children and is more limited and mixed for adults, though many clinicians report benefit.
Can Tongue Thrust Fix Itself In Children?
Sometimes it can. Many young children show a forward tongue pattern during swallowing, and a large share outgrow it as their mouth grows and their swallow matures.
The tricky part is knowing which children will outgrow it and which will not. There is no simple test that predicts this. Signs that it is not resolving and needs attention include:
- Front teeth that are shifting or developing a gap
- An open bite that is not closing
- Speech sounds that are affected, especially “s” and “z”
- Continued mouth breathing or snoring
- A tongue that visibly pushes between the teeth when swallowing
If any of these are present, an evaluation by a dentist, orthodontist, or speech-language pathologist is reasonable. Waiting too long can mean the pattern is harder to change and teeth have already moved.
Does Tongue Thrust Affect Teeth And Speech?
Yes, and this is the main reason it is worth addressing. The tongue is a strong muscle, and a forward push repeated hundreds of times a day can gradually move teeth.
The most common dental effect is an open bite, where the upper and lower front teeth do not meet when the back teeth are closed. This can affect chewing and can make orthodontic treatment less stable if the tongue thrust is not corrected. Some orthodontists will recommend myofunctional therapy before or alongside braces for this reason.
Speech can also be affected. The tongue tip position influences sounds like “s” and “z,” and some people with a tongue thrust develop a lisp or a slightly distorted sound. Speech therapy can address this alongside the swallow retraining.
Not everyone with a tongue thrust develops dental or speech problems. Some people have the pattern for years with no obvious effects. This is one reason treatment decisions are made case by case rather than automatically.
What Can You Do At Home While Getting Help?
Home practice supports professional therapy, but it does not replace an assessment. The most useful thing to do at home is to build awareness of where the tongue sits at rest.
Simple awareness exercises include:
- Noticing whether the tongue tip rests against the roof of the mouth or against the front teeth
- Practicing keeping the lips closed and breathing through the nose when possible
- Doing the specific exercises a therapist assigns, consistently and as directed
Be cautious with self-designed programs from videos or social media. A tongue thrust has different causes, and an exercise that helps one person can be wrong for another — for example, if the real problem is an airway issue rather than muscle coordination. A therapist tailors the plan to the individual.
If you or your child breathe mostly through the mouth, snore, or have trouble breathing through the nose, mention this to a doctor. Airway problems are a common driver of tongue thrust and need medical evaluation, not just exercises.
When Should You See A Professional?
See a professional if the tongue thrust is affecting teeth, speech, or breathing, or if it has not resolved by the early school years in a child. Adults who notice teeth shifting, an open bite, or speech changes should also get an evaluation.
The right professional depends on the main problem. A dentist or orthodontist assesses teeth and bite. A speech-language pathologist assesses swallow and speech. An ear, nose, and throat doctor assesses tonsils, adenoids, and airway blockage. Often more than one is involved.
There is no single test for tongue thrust. Diagnosis is based on observation of the swallow, the resting tongue position, and the bite, along with a history of breathing, thumb sucking, and speech. This is why an in-person assessment matters more than any online quiz or product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tongue thrust be fixed in adults?
Yes, it can be retrained in adults, though it usually takes longer than in children because the pattern has been in place for years. Myofunctional therapy with a trained professional is the main approach, and treating any underlying cause such as nasal blockage is part of it.
What is the best treatment for tongue thrust?
Myofunctional therapy guided by a speech-language pathologist or trained therapist is the most established approach. It works best when combined with treatment of the underlying cause, such as enlarged tonsils or an abnormal bite.
Do tongue thrust exercises really work?
Guided myofunctional therapy has reasonable evidence for children and more limited, mixed evidence for adults. Over-the-counter tongue training products have no large human trials confirming they correct a tongue thrust on their own.
Can tongue thrust cause speech problems?
Yes, it can affect sounds like “s” and “z” and may cause a lisp in some people. Speech therapy can address this alongside the swallow retraining.
