What causes tongue thrust?
No one specific cause has actually been determined for the tongue thrust problem. Any of the following may cause tongue thrust: • Certain types of artificial nipples used in feeding infants • Thumbsucking • Allergies, nasal congestion or obstructions contributing to mouth breathing causing the posture of the tongue to be very low in the mouth • Large tonsils, adenoids, or many sore throats which cause difficulty in swallowing • An abnormally large tongue • Hereditary factors within the family, such as the angle of the jaw line • Neurological, muscular, or other physiological abnormalities • Short lingual frenum (tongue tied) • Is there more than one type of tongue thrusting? There are several different types of tongue thrust and resultant orthodontic problems: • Anterior open bite – the most common and typical type of tongue thrust. In this case, the front lips do not close and the child often has his mouth open with the tongue protruding beyond the lips. In general, it has been noted
