Tongue Thrust: Recognizing & Correcting the Issue in Babies

TL;DR:

Tongue thrust is a forward movement of the tongue that is often a normal part of infancy and early swallowing development. As children grow, persistent tongue thrust may sometimes occur alongside feeding, breathing, swallowing, dental, or speech concerns.

In this blog post, you’ll learn:

• Why tongue thrust is often normal in newborns and babies.
• Which signs of tongue thrust may deserve a closer look.
• How persistent tongue positioning may relate to oral and speech development.
• Why tongue thrust exercises aren’t generally DIY activities for babies.
• When a pediatric dental evaluation can help determine the next step.

If you’ve been noticing that your little one sticks out their tongue a lot, you might be wondering whether it’s simply a cute but harmless new behavior or something you should be concerned about and get checked out.

Thankfully, babies who thrust their tongue are often simply demonstrating normal behavior during early development. The truth is that unlike adults, babies are still figuring out how to use their tongues. This is particularly true during feeding and swallowing.

That being said, baby tongue thrust isn’t always normal. Notably, when a forward tongue position persists as a child develops—or when It appears alongside feeding, breathing, or oral-development difficulties—it may deserve a closer look by a qualified professional.

That’s why it’s important to recognize the signs of tongue thrust, and understand when you should seek the help of a pediatric dentist.

What is Tongue Thrust in Babies & Is it Normal?

You’ve heard about it, but what exactly is tongue thrust?

Put plainly, tongue thrust is a description of what happens when the tongue moves forward in the mouth, including during swallowing. While everyone can protrude their tongue once in a while, tongue thrust applies when this type of movement is more of the norm rather than the exception.

In older children who exhibit signs of tongue thrust, you can often notice the tongue pushing against or between the teeth instead of maintaining a more typical position within the mouth.

In babies, specifically, though, it is important to differentiate between normal tongue thrust and abnormal tongue thrust. That’s because, developmentally speaking, some forward tongue movement is actually to be expected.

To that end, a 2021 review published in the International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry explains why tongue thrusting is normal in newborns in many instances. Namely, during an infant’s swallow, which is different than a toddler or adult’s swallow, the tongue normally lies between the gum pads. Then, as a child grows and primary teeth begin to erupt, swallowing patterns gradually mature.

This distinction is important because a baby sticking out their tongue doesn’t automatically have a condition requiring treatment. The catch is that sometimes they do, and it can sometimes be tricky to determine normal tongue thrust from problematic tongue thrust.

Tongue thrust can become problematic when the pattern persists beyond the expected developmental period or occurs alongside other functional concerns. It can also occur as part of an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD). As ASHA’s parent-friendly guide to orofacial myofunctional disorders notes, OMDs involve habits or movements of the face and mouth that can make eating, speaking, or breathing comfortably more difficult. Tongue thrusting, sometimes called fronting, is one type of OMD that can occur in children.

If you have any concerns about tongue thrust or tongue tie in your baby and whether or not you should be concerned, it never hurts to schedule an evaluative appointment with your pediatric dentist.

What Are Some Signs of Problematic Tongue Thrust in Kids & Babies to Watch Out For?

As we’ve covered, it’s often normal for babies stick out and move their tongues as they eat, learn, and explore the world, so an occasional tongue-out expression usually isn’t a concern.

That being said, tongue thrust in a baby or toddler may be worth a closer look when you notice any of the following in your little one:

• Frequently pushing the tongue forward or keeping it forward at rest
• Difficulty progressing to age-appropriate foods
• Trouble chewing, swallowing, or keeping food in the mouth
• Difficulty closing the lips while swallowing
• Persistent open-mouth posture or difficulty breathing through the nose
• Changes in tooth position or bite as a child gets older
• Difficulty producing certain speech sounds later in childhood

Noticing one sign alone isn’t cause for alarm. It also doesn’t usually mean your child has a problem. But noticing multiple signs may be cause for concern.

As the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) notes, orofacial myofunctional disorders can have multiple contributing factors, including airway obstruction, structural differences, and prolonged sucking habits in older children.

For many parents who aren’t well-versed in the intricacies of normal oral development in babies and kids, though, it can be tricky to know whether a combination of certain behaviors or signs is normal, borderline problematic, or indicative of the need for immediate treatment. That’s why a pediatric dentist, who has extensive experience and training in pediatric oral development, can be especially helpful in determining whether any action is required on your part as the parent of a little one with tongue thrust.

How to Stop Tongue Thrusting: Do Babies Need Tongue Thrust Exercises?

If you’ve been searching for things online like “How to stop tongue thrusting”, you will find plenty of exercises to try. But with babies, trying to “correct” tongue thrust at home may be unnecessary. Plus, age matters when attempting these types of exercises.

For persistent tongue thrust in appropriately selected older children, orofacial myofunctional therapy may be one part of treatment. The pediatric dentistry research referenced above describes exercises designed to address areas such as tongue resting posture, swallowing patterns, and oral muscle function.

However, tongue thrust exercises aren’t typically DIY exercises for babies. ASHA notes that orofacial myofunctional therapy may not be appropriate for children younger than 4 years old or children who don’t yet have the ability to follow directions and self-monitor their movements. So it’s important to consult with a professional before attempting exercises of any kind.

Consequently, for babies, a more appropriate approach is usually to monitor development under the supervision of a speech language pathologist or pediatric dentist, support age-appropriate feeding skills, and investigate persistent functional concerns.

So what’s the bottom line for you as a parent? You should talk with your pediatric dentist first if you notice ongoing difficulties with feeding, swallowing, breathing, or oral development on the part of your child.

Schedule a Tongue Thrust Appointment with The Super Dentists Today

As you are now aware, noticing your baby’s tongue come forward isn’t automatically a reason to worry. Tongue thrust in babies can be a normal part of early swallowing and oral development, and those patterns change considerably as children grow.

What matters is how your child’s oral function develops over time and whether tongue thrusting continues over time or appears alongside feeding, swallowing, breathing, or oral-development concerns.

In these scenarios, or when in doubt, an evaluation by a trained pediatric dentist can help you understand what’s happening. Early attention can help you ensure that your child receives the right support at the right time, if needed.

At The Super Dentists, we are here to help you understand your child’s developing smile and create a super foundation for lifelong oral health.

Schedule an appointment for your child at The Super Dentists today!