Swallowing

You likely haven’t given much thought to how you swallow. But the way you do it makes a difference…

 A dysfunctional swallow can create problems with the alignment of the teeth, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and the eustachian tubes.

Impaired swallowing and poor tongue posture prevents opening of the eustachian tubes and the pressure in the ear does not equalize properly.

When your tongue thrusts forward, rather than lifting up to the palate and suctioning to swallow, the lower jaw shifts with it. Then it moves backwards and compression of the tmj can occur. Over time the tmj disc develops wear from the pressure and strain leading to pain, clicking/popping, and headaches. Bite problems can also occur.

What causes an improper swallow/tongue thrust/reverse swallow?

When swallowing correctly, the tongue lifts to the palate and creates intraoral pressure/suction to swallow.

A low tongue posture due a tongue tie, mouthbreathing, or prolonged sippy cup/pacifier usage can trigger improper swallowing.

A tongue tie prevents the tongue from being able to lift fully to the palate and suction.

The tongue sits in the floor of the mouth when you breathe through your mouth rather than your nose the way we are meant to.

Pacifiers and sippy cup spouts take up the space in the mouth where the tongue should be and force it to sit low in the mouth. Eventually this can become a habitual rest posture for the tongue even when habits are eliminated.

Myofunctional therapy utilizes exercises to train for a healthy swallow, proper oral rest posture, and nasal breathing.