What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘tongue spur’? While it may sound like some kind of growth, it’s actually a training tool to help break a patient’s habit of tongue thrusts. This harmful tendency is normal in infants but should be outgrown by age six. If left untreated, tongue thrusts can result in speech impediments and malformed teeth. In this post, your orthodontics specialist will explain how tongue spurs can benefit your child for years to come.
What are tongue thrusts?
Tongue thrusts are the habit of placing the tongue in the wrong position when resting, swallowing or speaking. The tongue consistently pushes against or between the teeth, which negatively impacts the development of the mouth.
Tongue thrusts are a highly treatable condition. However, it is important to identify the issue early. Reach out to your dentist if your child is six years or older and displays these symptoms:
- The tip of the tongue is visible when resting, swallowing or speaking
- An inability to close the lips completely
- Excessive mouth breathing
- Chewing issues and messy eating
- Lisping of ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds during speech
What issues do tongue thrusts cause?
When left untreated, the pressure of tongue thrusts can cause your child’s front teeth to move outward. Not only does this create an elongated face shape, it also results in an open bite, an orthodontic condition where there is a gap between the upper and lower teeth even when the mouth is closed. The patient’s tongue will often protrude from this gap and their speech can suffer from a lisp over certain sounds.
Patients with an open bite can experience difficulty eating, including discomfort while chewing. They may also be completely unable to bite through certain foods with their front teeth due to the gap.
How do spurs stop tongue thrusts?
Tongue spurs serve a similar purpose to a horseback rider’s boot spurs. They are designed to retrain the tongue without damaging it. The metal hook-like wires can be placed behind the lower front teeth or attached to the first molars depending on where your child is thrusting their tongue. When the patient’s tongue tries to thrust, the spurs create a feeling of discomfort so the patient will reposition their tongue. The spurs also prevent your child’s tongue from pushing against and misshaping their teeth.
Tongue spurs are a temporary treatment that can prevent serious orthodontic issues throughout your child’s life. If you believe your child is struggling with tongue thrusting, reach out to your local Glenpool dentist to help break the habit.
About the Author
At Glenpool Braces, Dr. Dalia Georgy is dedicated to improving the smiles of patients of all ages. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, she has over 200 continuing education credits to her name. Dr. Georgy employs Phase 1 pediatric orthodontics to address issues like finger sucking and tongue thrusting. If you have any further questions about stopping your child’s harmful habit, she can be contacted through her website or at 918-201-1414.