Tongue thrusting habit is a condition in which the tongue makes contact with any teeth anterior (front) to the molars during swallowing. Abnormal positioning of tongue may result in dental and skeletal abnormalities.
Most frequent signs of tongue thrusting are the following:
- Forward tongue posture
- Tongue thrusting during swallowing
- Contraction of the perioral muscle
- Excessive buccinator activity
- Swallowing without the momentary tooth contact normally required
This prolonged tongue thrusting habit can result in:
- Mouth breathing
- Open-bite
- Hyperactive mentalis muscle activity (looks like an individual is pouting or has a permanent grimace expression caused by the lower lip)
- Increased upper lip thickness
- Low forward tongue posture
- Lisping or impaired speech
- Orthodontic relapse in relation to open-bite