Tongue Exercises
The tongue is frequently involved in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) and TMJ and Oro-Facial Pain conditions and should not be overlooked in management. Lack of strength and tone in the tongue contributes to many jaw pain and airway problems.
Myofunctional Therapy, as used for OSA and Sleep Disordered Breathing, has been clinically proven to improve OSA by as much an 50%.
While this strategy of tongue strengthening is rarely undertaken as the only management in OSA, it is certainly a useful additional mode of treatment to use along with CPAP therapy or Oral appliance therapy, as well as various other modes of treatment.
Anybody with OSA should be instructed in terms of simple exercises they can do regularly to assist in their home-care.
Incorrect tongue posture and positioning and incorrect swallowing techniques that linger from infancy can be addressed.
- A very useful exercise for relaxing painful masticatory muscles and also to strengthen the tongue and increase the muscle-tone of the tongue, the Lateral Pterygoid and Medial Pterygoid Muscles, is to raise the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth and hold the tongue on the palate and scrape the tip of the tongue back to the back of the palate.
Repeat this particular exercise 20 times at least twice a day and whenever else you think of it, eg in the shower, while driving etc..
This exercise is also very useful in repositioning the head of the jaw (condyle) back into its resting position on removal of the Mandibular Advancement Device in the morning.
- Open the mouth widely and close again immediately. Repeat 20 times at least twice a day.
- For actual TMJ pain cases, an additional exercise that can be done is to place the tip of the tongue on the palate just behind the upper front teeth, hold it firmly against that spot and open the jaw as wide as you comfortably can and hold it about 5 seconds with the tongue still on the palate. Close again and simply, and repeat 2-3 times a day along with the above set of exercises.
- Tik Toks. This exercise involves sucking the tip of the tongue to the palate behind the upper front teeth and “clicking” it off the palate with the lips first in a smiling position, the TIK, and then with the lips pursed as in saying “Oooh” as the TOK position. Repeat 20 times 2-3 times daily.
- Close the lips and push the tongue firmly into the upper and lower lips and cheeks, moving the tongue from upper lip, to lower lip and both cheeks. This needs only to take 15-20 seconds each time. Repeat it 3 times each exercise session and 2-3 times daily.
- Drink sips of water through a straw with the teeth held together.
A very useful relaxation technique used in many chronic pain conditions:-
- Lie flat on the floor on your back on a gym or yoga mat, not a bed. If the neck is chronically inflexible, use a folded towel so the head is passively held neither head forward nor head backward. The eyes should face straight up.
- Tuck the chin in.
- Place the tip of the tongue on the palate just behind the upper front teeth and close the lips.
- Place one hand on the stomach and the other on the chest.
- Concentrate on regular breathing into the belly not the chest.
- Hold this position for 10 minutes, although longer is fine.
- Repeat this relaxation pose twice a day for at least 2-3 weeks although it can remain a permanent habit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can tongue exercises help with TMJ pain and jaw discomfort?
Yes, strengthening and repositioning the tongue can relieve TMJ pain by reducing muscle tension and improving jaw function. Exercises like placing the tongue on the palate and gently scraping it backward help strengthen the jaw muscles and ease discomfort. These exercises can also aid in realigning the jaw, particularly after using a Mandibular Advancement Device for sleep apnoea. Our team at Future Dental can provide personalised guidance to help manage TMJ pain effectively. We will demonstrate other useful tongue and jaw muscles stretch techniques and exercises.
How do tongue exercises help with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)?
Tongue exercises can help with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) by strengthening the tongue and surrounding muscles, which helps keep the airway open during sleep. Exercises such as pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth and sliding it backward along the hard palate can improve muscle tone and reduce the likelihood of the tongue collapsing into the airway, a common cause of OSA. These exercises also promote better tongue posture, which supports overall airway stability.
We demonstrate several tongue exercises to our OSA patients when we supply a mandibular advancement splint.
We routinely advise all patients with OSA to have Myofunctional therapy conducted either locally or by Zoom meetings. This is used to strengthen the respiratory muscles and assist with both nasal breathing and also correct tongue posture. It has been shown to reduce the severity of OSA by up to 50%
Are there any relaxation techniques to help with jaw pain and airway issues?
A simple relaxation technique involves lying flat on a firm surface, tucking the chin, and focusing on stomach breathing while keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth. This helps release tension in the jaw, neck, and airway muscles. Practising this for 10 minutes twice daily can improve jaw function, breathing, and overall relaxation.
