Why Does the Tongue Matter?

Most people do not even give one thought about the tongue aside from when they bite it while chomping down on their favorite food; and when that happens, it is the worst! Before I came into the field of Orofacial Myology, I had not one consideration of this muscular part of me. Once I realized how powerful the tongue is, I could not unlearn it!

Before we dive into why the tongue matters, I want to provide some interesting facts about the tongue that can be surprising.

-The tongue is made up of 8 muscles

-The tongue can push an item by itself that weighs up to 6 pounds

-There are about 2,000-4,000 taste buds on the tongue

-The tongue can change it’s shape depending on usage (toned versus untoned)

-The tongue impacts our jaw development, cranial development and airway

The last fact really leads to why the tongue matters; the tongue has the power to create ideal development and structure as well as the unideal. When the tongue is used in a manner that promotes proper growth, stability and function, a person can thrive! The airway is open, speech developed properly and the jaw was developed to be substantial for tooth growth and alignment. When the tongue acts out of the ideal manner, the airway can be minimized, teeth alignment can shift causing jaw shifting as well, the misalignments occurring can lead to cranial and neck issues as well as tension throughout the face and body. There is a ripple effect that occurs that leads to full body involvement in how the tongue is used.

Thankfully, the tongue is adaptable! With various Orofacial Myology exercises, you have the power to change the muscular tone to your tongue and develop ideal behaviors that can truly make significant improvements to various issues. Airways can be increased leading to improved breathing, teeth can realign, TMJ pain and neck discomfort can be minimized, speech can improve, eating can be easier and the sudden biting of your tongue while chewing can be eliminated as well!

I challenge you to think about your tongue and what it does throughout the day. Does it push on your teeth? Is it hiding in the back of your throat? Does it aimlessly wonder? Just like other muscles throughout the body, the tongue needs attention too and can be trained to be a beneficial part of your wellness!