How to Stop Tongue Thrusting from Ruining Your Child’s Bite?

You see it when they swallow milk or concentrate on a story—a subtle push of the tongue against their front teeth. For many parents, this “tongue thrust” seems like a harmless, even cute, quirk that their child will eventually outgrow. It’s easy to dismiss it as a simple phase or a minor habit, similar to nail-biting. While common, affecting an estimated 33% to 50% of school-aged children, this perspective misses the fundamental nature of the issue.

But what if this ‘habit’ is actually a symptom of a deeper neuromuscular pattern? What if, with every swallow, your child’s tongue is exerting pounds of pressure in the wrong direction, actively working against proper dental alignment and facial development? The goal isn’t just to ‘break’ a habit; it’s to retrain a crucial bodily function. This requires understanding the tongue’s role not as a misbehaving muscle, but as a powerful force that needs guidance. It’s about rebuilding a healthy oral rest posture—where the tongue rests on the roof of the mouth, not against the teeth.

This guide is designed for Montreal parents who are ready to look beyond the surface. We will explore the root causes of tongue thrust, from local allergies to swallowing mechanics, and outline a constructive path toward correction. By focusing on neuromuscular retraining, you can provide your child with the foundation for a healthy bite, clear speech, and balanced facial growth for life.

This article will guide you through the essential steps: from identifying the cause to understanding the long-term effects and exploring the most effective, modern treatment strategies available right here in Montreal. Below is a summary of the topics we will cover.

Is Your Child’s Open Mouth Posture Due to Allergies or Habit?

Before any retraining can begin, we must play detective. A tongue thrust is often a compensation for something else. A child who cannot breathe comfortably through their nose will naturally resort to mouth breathing. This drops the jaw and forces the tongue forward and down, away from its proper resting place on the palate. In Montreal, seasonal allergies are a major culprit. If your child’s open-mouth posture and nasal congestion worsen during the notorious ragweed season from late August to October, an airway obstruction is a likely contributor.

The tongue is a powerful muscular organ. When it rests low and forward, it’s not just idle; it’s failing to provide the internal support needed for the upper jaw (maxilla) to develop correctly. This creates a chain reaction: a narrow palate, a high-arched roof of the mouth, and a higher risk of dental crowding. The thrusting motion during a swallow—where the tongue pushes against or between the teeth—is the active part of this dysfunctional pattern. Distinguishing between an airway-driven posture and a lingering habit from infancy is the critical first step in determining the right therapeutic path.

Why Does a Lisp Often Indicate a Swallowing Disorder?

If you’ve noticed your child struggling to pronounce “s” or “z” sounds, producing a slushy “th” sound instead, you might assume it’s a simple speech impediment. However, this frontal lisp is often a direct auditory clue to an underlying tongue thrust swallow. The two are mechanically linked. To produce a crisp “s” sound, the tip of the tongue must briefly touch the alveolar ridge (the small bump behind the upper front teeth), directing a narrow stream of air forward. A child with a tongue thrust pattern, however, has trained their tongue to move forward, pushing between the teeth. When they try to make an “s” sound, their tongue reflexively moves into this forward position, blocking the air and creating the characteristic lisp.

As noted by Montreal-based clinics like Speech Express, this incorrect motor pattern for swallowing directly sabotages the motor pattern for speech. Correcting the lisp without addressing the dysfunctional swallow is like trying to fix a leaky roof by only painting over the water stain. Myofunctional therapy focuses on retraining the tongue’s resting posture and swallowing pattern first. Once the tongue learns to stay “home” on the palate, the foundation is set to successfully correct articulation errors affecting sounds like /s/, /z/, /sh/, and /ch/.

Finding the right professional is key. In Quebec, the field is regulated to ensure quality care. As the provincial guidelines state:

To find a certified professional in Montreal, consult the directory of the Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec (OOAQ). This ensures they meet Quebec’s professional standards.

– OOAQ Guidelines, Professional directory recommendation

Reward Charts vs. Punishment: What Actually Works for Habit Breaking?

When a parent realizes tongue thrust is a problem, the first instinct can be to correct the child every time they see it: “Close your mouth,” or “Don’t push your tongue out.” While well-intentioned, this approach frames the issue as a behavioural problem to be stamped out. Because tongue thrust is an unconscious, neuromuscular pattern, constant reminders and punishment are not only ineffective but can also lead to feelings of shame and anxiety for the child. You cannot consciously control a reflex. The key is not to ‘stop’ the old pattern but to build a new, stronger one to replace it.

The myofunctional therapy approach is rooted in positive reinforcement and muscle training, much like physiotherapy. It involves a series of specific, often playful exercises designed to strengthen the tongue and orofacial muscles. The goal is to make the correct oral rest posture—lips together, teeth lightly touching, tongue on the palate—the body’s new default setting. This constructive method empowers the child, making them an active participant in their own therapy.

This positive, goal-oriented philosophy is echoed by therapists in the Montreal community who see the best results with this approach.

I enjoy working alongside families towards their goals and celebrating successes big and small, and strive to tailor therapy to the individual needs of the client while making it fun at the same time. Learning through play is essential.

– Therapist at Montreal’s SpeakAble clinic

Instead of a chart for “not thrusting,” a reward system might celebrate “doing tongue exercises for 5 minutes” or “keeping lips closed during a whole cartoon.” This shifts the focus from avoiding a negative to achieving a positive, which is far more effective for long-term neuromuscular change.

When Is a “Habit Crib” Necessary to Retrain the Tongue?

While therapy is the foundation, sometimes the tongue’s forward-thrusting habit is so strong that it needs a physical reminder to help guide it into a new pattern. This is where orthodontic appliances, often called “habit cribs” or “palatal rakes,” come into play. It’s important to understand that these devices are not a punishment or a standalone cure. They are a tool used in conjunction with myofunctional therapy, typically when a child is older (over age 6) and the habit is actively interfering with dental development or resisting initial therapy.

According to protocols used by Canadian dental groups, an appliance like a palatal crib is a small, semi-circular wire fitted behind the upper front teeth. It acts as a gentle barrier, making it uncomfortable for the tongue to thrust forward. This doesn’t ‘force’ the tongue back; rather, it makes the incorrect movement less satisfying and encourages the tongue to explore a new, more comfortable position—up on the palate. Other appliances, like the Bluegrass, use a small roller that the child can spin with their tongue, turning the retraining into a subconscious, playful activity. These appliances are typically cemented in place for several months to ensure consistent retraining.

The decision to use an appliance is made by an orthodontist or dentist as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. It’s prescribed when home strategies are insufficient to overcome the deeply ingrained motor pattern. The combination of physical guidance from the appliance and active muscle strengthening from therapy is highly effective. In fact, some studies show that combining orthodontic devices with therapy can make correction 80-90% effective.

How Poor Oral Posture Changes the Shape of a Child’s Face by Age 10?

The bones of the face, particularly the upper and lower jaws, are not static. Throughout childhood, they are remarkably malleable, shaped by the forces acting upon them. This concept is known as the functional matrix theory. The tongue, when resting properly on the palate, acts as a natural, built-in expander, providing the gentle, constant pressure needed for the upper jaw to grow forward and wide. This ensures enough space for all the adult teeth to erupt properly. When a child has a low tongue posture due to mouth breathing or a tongue thrust, this critical growth stimulus is lost.

Instead, the constant pressure of the cheeks (buccinator muscles) is no longer counteracted by the tongue. The upper arch can become narrow and high-arched, leading to dental crowding. Furthermore, with an open-mouth posture, the lower jaw tends to grow downward and backward instead of forward. This can lead to the development of a ‘long face’ appearance (adenoid face), a recessed chin, and a less defined jawline. These changes are not just cosmetic; they can impact bite function and airway health into adulthood. This is why early intervention is so critical. The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic check-up by age 7, precisely to identify and intercept such growth-altering habits before they become permanent.

As a parent in Montreal, you can be proactive by monitoring key developmental stages. The following table provides a simple guide for what to observe as your child grows.

Why Does My Child’s Jaw Click When They Chew?

A clicking or popping sound in your child’s jaw when they eat or yawn can be alarming. While not always a cause for panic, it should not be ignored. This sound often originates from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the complex hinge that connects your jaw to your skull. The clicking can indicate that the small disc of cartilage within the joint, which normally acts as a smooth cushion, is temporarily slipping out of place. This can be related to the same orofacial muscle imbalances that cause tongue thrust.

When the muscles of the jaw, face, and tongue are not working in harmony, it can create uneven forces on the TMJ. A low, forward tongue posture, for example, can contribute to a less stable jaw position, putting stress on the joint. While many other factors can cause jaw clicking, including bite issues (malocclusion) or habits like clenching, it’s a piece of the puzzle in assessing your child’s overall orofacial function. It serves as another potential sign that the muscular system supporting the jaw is not functioning optimally.

If you notice this symptom, documenting the details is incredibly helpful for a clinician. Before your visit to a dentist or specialist in Montreal, try to gather specific information. As recommended by resources from the Montreal Children’s Hospital’s dental division, being prepared with clear observations can lead to a more accurate diagnosis.

Will Thumb Sucking Cause Permanent “Buck Teeth” After Age 4?

Thumb or finger sucking is a natural reflex for infants, providing comfort and security. However, when this habit persists past the age of four, when the permanent teeth are beginning to develop, it can become a powerful force working against proper oral development. The concern is not just the thumb itself, but what the thumb does to the tongue’s position. With a thumb in the mouth, the tongue is physically prevented from resting on the palate. It is forced into a low and forward position, reinforcing the same dysfunctional posture seen in a primary tongue thrust.

The constant pressure from the thumb can push the upper front teeth forward, creating the classic “buck teeth” appearance, known as an overjet. Simultaneously, it can prevent the front teeth from fully erupting and meeting properly, leading to an anterior open bite—a visible gap between the top and bottom teeth even when the back teeth are closed. According to dental professionals, the consistent pressure from a prolonged habit can move teeth and shape bone just as effectively as orthodontic braces, but in the wrong direction. As one Canadian dental clinic’s report on tongue thrusting emphasizes, this constant pressure can even reverse successful orthodontic work if the underlying habit isn’t corrected.

The goal is to help the child transition away from the habit before age 5 or 6, when the risk of permanent dental changes becomes much higher. This often involves positive reinforcement strategies and addressing the underlying reason for the sucking habit (such as anxiety or a need for comfort). Breaking the habit is the first step; the second, equally important step is then retraining the tongue to find its proper home on the roof of the mouth through myofunctional therapy.

How Poor Oral Posture Changes the Shape of a Child’s Face by Age 10?

We’ve established how a low tongue posture can narrow the upper jaw and cause an open bite. By age 10, the cumulative effect of these forces becomes much more visible and harder to correct. The child’s face is taking on its more permanent structure, and years of improper muscle function have laid down a blueprint for imbalanced growth. This is not just a dental issue; it’s a structural one that impacts facial harmony, breathing, and even self-confidence.

The path forward is one of proactive, interceptive action. Correcting a tongue thrust and establishing proper nasal breathing and oral rest posture is one of the most significant gifts you can give to your child’s long-term health. It sets the stage for any future orthodontic work to be more successful and stable. It ensures the airway develops to its full potential. And it guides facial growth toward its natural, balanced genetic blueprint. The face your child has at age 10 is not set in stone, but the patterns influencing it are becoming deeply ingrained.

By focusing on the root cause—the neuromuscular function—you are moving beyond treating symptoms and are instead building a healthy foundation from the inside out. This is the core principle of myofunctional therapy and the modern approach to pediatric orthodontics.

The next logical step is to move from observation to action. If you’ve noticed any of the signs discussed in this guide, scheduling a professional evaluation with your family dentist or a certified orofacial myofunctional therapist in the Montreal area is the best course of action to get a clear diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan.