What Causes a Tongue Thrust?
The common causes of tongue thrust include allergies, enlarged adenoids, thumb or finger sucking, or a tongue that is “anchored” to the floor of the mouth. Heredity, neurological, and/or muscular problems may be contributing factors as well. How Speech May be Affected When a low, forward tongue position is present, sounds such as “s,” “z,” “sh,” “ch,” and “j” may be distorted. Children and adults who persist in using a “lax” sounding “r” may have specific weakness of the tongue that contributes to their articulation difficulty. When a tongue thrust is present, other articulators such as the jaw and lips may be weak as well. Generally, it is difficult to correct these articulatory errors without addressing the tongue thrust pattern. Possible Consequences of a Tongue Thrust A tongue thrust may lead to slowing of orthodontic correction or possible orthodontic relapse. Other consequences include periodontal problems, difficulty wearing dentures and dental appliances, and/or temporomandibul
