Your tongue is important in speech, but for some reason, it may not be working the right way when you speak.
A “lisp” or difficulty in articulating certain words is often noticed. If the muscles in the tongue and lips are incorrectly postured, it can prevent a person from forming sounds of Normal speech.
Remember, your tongue should not touch your front teeth when you speak English, except when you make the “th” sound as in “thank you” or “Thursday”.
Tongue-tied people are unable to move their tongues properly. This can cause speech and chewing problems as well as restricting the natural development of the upper jaw, including the mid-face.
ADHD sufferers frequently display speech problems.
Resting Tongue position is very important in the proper development of the palate and the function of your mouth and face in general. When your mouth is closed the tip of the tongue should rest on the rough ridge area just behind your front teeth, and the tongue body should rest in the “Roof of The Mouth”. Make a note of this yourself when you have a moment.
Exercise: Speech test? Make a note of what happens to the tip of your tongue when you say the letters T, D, N, L, S and Z?
Try saying this sentance with added force; “Ted and Suzie love lollipops and salty donuts”
You may notice that your tongue touches the ridge with all the letters, except S and Z
If the tip of the tongue was pushing up against your font teeth while articulating S, and Z, then you have a Tongue Thrust.
This is quite common in children, and some grow out of it, but if it is not corrected, apart from speeech problems, there will certainly be changes in the alignment of the Front Teeth.
Tongue Thrusting will cause an Open Bite ( “Buck-Teeth”) and crowding of the Front teeth, as well as narrowing of the Upper Jaw.
Send the Tongue and the lips to the Gym !
It makes sense that practising any form of tongue exercise that help to strenghten the muscles of the tongue will not alone improve the ability to make better sounds, but will also give a much more stable orthodontic result.
These exercises are taught in the practice as part of our Myofunctional Therapy Program.
My experience in the O Connor dental health was pleasent.As a person who is nervous about visiting the dentist i felt very relaxed both in the waiting room and on the chair.Over the years i have attended a few different dentists and this has been the one practice where i felt relaxed and at ease due to the care of the staff. Before my procedures it was explained to me by the staff what to expect and i found this helped put me at ease. For any one who is nervous of visiting the dentists i would strongly recommend this practice.
Patient
My daughter needed orthodontic treatment. Tony did a very comprehensive plan for my daughter and went through it with me and my daughter in great detail before he began the treatment. We knew how long it was going to take and what exactly was involved. What I liked about Tony was, he was so enthusiastic himself about the treatment and took great pride in getting it right, tweaking a bit here and there to make sure he got the best result. He explained everything to my daughter and encouraged her through the treatment. Tony does not just look at the teeth but also the shape of her mouth and the overall look. I would highly recommend Tony and his team, he is a genuine, passionate and meticulous about his work and a very nice person as well. My daughter has a lovely smile and my younger daughter can't wait to start her treatment as she sees the fantastic results of Tony's work and can't wait to have the same fantastic smile.
Patient
At O'Connor Dental Health we aim to provide a relaxed family atmosphere that is enjoyable for all ages.
We offer a wide range of treatments, including early intervention for children, orthodontics for teens and adults and a multitude of general dental services
Our state of the art clinic is located in Ballincollig, Cork. We have ample parking available, comfortable waiting room and a multitude of nearby shops and amenities.
Our Reputation speaks for itself, we have the highest number of positive reviews in the area, and always ensure that our patients leave happy with the service and treatment where possible.
