What is Good Tongue Posture?

Good tongue posture means the tongue is resting gently on the roof of the mouth when the person isn’t speaking, eating, or swallowing. 

Ideally, the tongue should make contact with the palate without pressing too hard, and the tip should be positioned just behind the upper front teeth.

For patients, this might seem like a small adjustment, but it plays a significant role in maintaining natural jaw alignment, supporting proper breathing patterns, and promoting long-term oral health. Improper posture—such as when the tongue rests too low or pushes against the teeth—can lead to several issues, including misaligned teeth, dental crowding, and poor jaw development. 

These problems can compound if a patient relies on mouth breathing, which disrupts proper tongue posture and contributes to further complications.

Why Good Tongue Posture Matters for Oral Health

Good tongue posture has numerous advantages for patient health, starting with jaw alignment.

1. Supports Jaw Alignment and Development

When the tongue rests correctly on the roof of the mouth, it provides a natural support system for the jaw. In children, this positioning helps guide the development of a well-formed dental arch and minimizes the risk of crowded or misaligned teeth. 

For adults, it helps maintain alignment and reduces stress on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Patients who suffer from TMJ disorders may benefit from improving their tongue posture, which can alleviate discomfort and contribute to better overall stability in the jaw.

Encourage patients to develop this habit early to prevent orthodontic issues and maintain long-term jaw health.

2. Improves Breathing and Sleep Quality

Nasal breathing is crucial for optimal oxygen intake, air filtration, and humidification. Good tongue posture promotes nasal breathing by keeping the mouth closed and the airway unobstructed. Patients who breathe primarily through their mouths may experience issues such as sleep apnea, poor sleep quality, and even changes in facial structure.

Educate your patients about the connection between tongue posture, nasal breathing, and sleep health. Helping them adopt better tongue positioning can improve their breathing patterns and lead to deeper, more restorative sleep.

3. Helps Prevent Orthodontic and Dental Problems

Proper tongue posture helps teeth maintain their natural spacing. When the tongue rests too low or presses against the teeth, it can cause malocclusion or overcrowding, increasing the likelihood of needing braces or other orthodontic interventions. 

In addition, mouth breathing associated with poor posture often dries out the mouth, which can raise the risk of cavities and gum disease by creating an environment where bacteria thrive.

Common Causes of Poor Tongue Posture

As a dental hygienist, you may encounter patients with poor tongue posture due to various underlying causes. Understanding these factors allows you to provide better guidance and preventative care.

Mouth Breathing

Chronic mouth breathing is one of the most common causes of poor tongue posture. When patients habitually breathe through their mouths instead of their noses, the tongue naturally drops to the bottom of the mouth. 

This can lead to underdeveloped or narrow dental arches, causing misaligned teeth, malocclusion, and even changes in facial structure. Mouth breathing can also reduce oxygen intake efficiency and prevent the nasal passages from filtering and humidifying air.

Many patients with chronic mouth breathing suffer from underlying conditions like nasal congestion, allergies, or enlarged tonsils. Encourage patients to explore solutions, such as allergy management or consulting with an ENT specialist, to restore proper nasal airflow. In conjunction with breathing exercises, this can help improve both posture and respiratory health.

Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia)

A tongue tie occurs when the lingual frenulum, the band of tissue under the tongue, is too short or tight, limiting its range of motion. This restriction can prevent the tongue from making full contact with the palate, which disrupts normal resting posture and can lead to issues with swallowing, speech, and jaw development. 

Tongue ties are often identified early in childhood, but in some cases, they persist undiagnosed into adulthood.

Patients with a tongue tie may benefit from myofunctional therapy to improve muscle function and coordination. For more severe cases, a minor surgical procedure called a frenectomy can release the restriction, allowing the tongue to move freely. As a dental hygienist, you can support patients through post-treatment care and help them adopt better tongue posture habits for lasting improvement.

How Dental Hygienists Can Help Improve Tongue Posture

As a trusted dental professional, you can play a key role in guiding patients toward better tongue posture. Here are some techniques you can recommend:

Strengthen Tongue Muscles Through Exercises

Patients with weak tongue muscles may benefit from targeted exercises. You can demonstrate activities such as:

• Tongue Push-Ups: Ask patients to press their tongue firmly against the roof of their mouth for a few seconds, then release.

• Side-to-Side Movements: Encourage patients to move their tongue from one corner of their mouth to the other to build coordination.

• Tongue Circles: Have them trace the inside of their lips with their tongue to engage various muscle groups.

  
  

Promote Nasal and Diaphragmatic Breathing

Breathing patterns influence tongue posture. Nasal breathing encourages the tongue to naturally rest against the palate, while diaphragmatic (or belly) breathing helps patients maintain a closed-mouth posture.

Provide tips on how patients can practice deep nasal breathing to form healthier habits. Tools like breathing exercises apps or visual aids may help reinforce these techniques.

Recommend Myofunctional Therapy

For patients who need additional help, myofunctional therapy offers a structured approach to retraining the muscles of the mouth and face. Myofunctional therapists provide personalized exercises designed to improve posture, swallowing, and breathing.

You can work closely with therapists to monitor your patients’ progress and provide additional reinforcement during cleanings and check-ups.

Empower Patients Through Knowledge

Good tongue posture plays a crucial role in promoting proper jaw alignment, supporting nasal breathing, and preventing dental issues like malocclusion and overcrowding. As a dental hygienist, understanding these connections enables you to educate and guide patients toward healthier oral habits. 

By addressing common causes such as mouth breathing and tongue ties, and introducing exercises or therapies like myofunctional treatment, you can significantly improve your patients' oral health and overall well-being.

Continuing your education and sharing knowledge like this strengthens your impact as a trusted dental professional. But staying engaged also means keeping your career options open. Tools like Teero’s app connect you with flexible job opportunities at dental practices that value proactive, patient-centered care. 

Whether you're looking for temporary or long-term work, Teero helps you grow professionally while making a difference in the lives of patients. Explore your next opportunity by downloading the app today.