Proper Tongue Posture

What Is Proper Tongue Posture (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

If you've never thought about where your tongue rests during the day… you're not alone. Most people don’t! But the position of your tongue — even when you're not talking or eating — actually plays a huge role in your overall health. 

What Is Proper Tongue Posture?

Proper tongue posture means that your tongue rests:

• Gently against the roof of your mouth
  
  
• Just behind your front teeth (but not touching them)
  
  
• With the entire tongue — front, middle, and back — lifted
  
  
• Mouth closed, breathing through your nose
  
  

This is your tongue’s “home base.” It should be there during the day, during sleep, and anytime you're not actively using it to speak, eat, or swallow.

Why Does Tongue Posture Matter?

Your tongue acts like a natural retainer and support system inside your mouth. When it rests in the right place, it helps with:

• Facial growth and jaw development (especially in kids)
  
  
• Nasal breathing (vs. mouth breathing)
  
  
• Better sleep and reduced snoring
  
  
• Proper swallowing patterns
  
  
• Balanced muscle tone in the face and neck
  
  

But when your tongue rests low, presses against the teeth, or stays on the bottom of your mouth, it can contribute to a wide range of issues.

Signs of Improper Tongue Posture

Here are some clues that you (or your child) might have poor tongue posture:

• Mouth breathing
  
  
• Snoring or sleep-disordered breathing
  
  
• Teeth grinding or clenching
  
  
• Forward head posture
  
  
• Narrow palate or crowded teeth
  
  
• Speech sound distortions
  
  
• Tongue resting on or between teeth
  
  
• Frequent dry mouth or chapped lips
  
  

These things may seem small, but over time they can affect sleep quality, focus, facial structure, and overall wellness.

What Causes Poor Tongue Posture?

Some common causes include:

• Tethered oral tissues (like a tongue tie)
  
  
• Chronic nasal congestion (from allergies or enlarged tonsils/adenoids)
  
  
• Long-term pacifier or bottle use
  
  
• Poor oral habits like thumb sucking
  
  
• Lack of awareness or muscle tone in the tongue
  
  

How Myofunctional Therapy Can Help

In myofunctional therapy, we use gentle, personalized exercises to help retrain the tongue and surrounding muscles to:

• Rest in the right position
  
  
• Breathe through the nose
  
  
• Swallow correctly
  
  
• Support facial and airway health
  
  

It’s a non-invasive, effective way to correct underlying habits that are often overlooked—but incredibly important.

Final Thoughts

Proper tongue posture may not be something you think about every day, but it’s one of the most foundational elements of healthy oral and airway function. If you’ve noticed any of the red flags mentioned above, or just want to learn more, myofunctional therapy might be the missing piece.