Myofunctional Therapy

Your Tongue is Pushing Your Teeth

If you’d rather see it than read it (we get it), here’s the YouTube video that walks through how tongue posture and tongue thrust can contribute to an open bite:

Have you ever looked in the mirror, closed your back teeth together, and noticed your front teeth still have a gap? Or tried to bite lettuce and it basically ghosts you? That can be an open bite- and the “why” is often less about your teeth being rebellious and more about your tongue habits.

What’s an open bite?

An anterior open bite means your back teeth can touch, but your front teeth don’t meet, leaving a little window in the front. It can affect biting, speech, and overall comfort.

How tongue habits can cause it

Your tongue is strong-and it’s in motion all day. If your tongue rests low or pushes forward during swallowing (called tongue thrust), that repeated pressure can encourage the front teeth to drift apart or stay apart over time.

Quick exercise recap from the video

1. Find the “spot” with the “N” sound

Say “Nnnn.” Feel where the tip of your tongue touches (just behind the upper front teeth, on the ridge). That’s the spot a great “home base” for the tongue.

2. The swallow technique (tongue up, not forward)

Put your tongue tip on the spot
Lift the rest of the tongue to the palate
Teeth together lightly, lips relaxed
Swallow while keeping the tongue up and back (not pressing forward into the teeth)

Bottom line: If you just watched the video, this is the main takeaway-open bites are often connected to where your tongue rests and how you swallow, and small daily practice can help retrain those patterns. If you want a professional opinion on your bite or your child’s habits, you can find a Risas Dental location near you.