Why Is Tongue Posture Important for all ages? Cardiff Chiropractor Explain Why It Matters

At our Cardiff chiropractic clinic, we talk a lot about posture, spinal posture, sitting posture, sleeping posture. But there's one form of posture that's often overlooked… and it starts right inside your mouth.

Yes, we’re talking about tongue posture.

It might sound strange, but where your tongue rests during the day (and night) can have a surprisingly big impact on everything from facial development in kids to jaw pain, breathing, balance, and even sleep quality in adults.

Let’s explore what tongue posture is, and why it matters for your health at every age.

👶 What is “Proper” Tongue Posture?

In a healthy resting position, your tongue should be:

Gently pressed against the roof of your mouth (the hard palate)

The tip of the tongue just behind your front teeth

Lips closed, teeth slightly apart

Breathing through the nose, not the mouth

This sounds simple, but for many people, it’s not what’s happening.

Here is an interesting video ☝️

👧 Why Tongue Posture Is Important for Children

During childhood, the position of the tongue plays a huge role in how the face and jaw grow. When the tongue rests low in the mouth or pushes forward (called “tongue thrust”), it can lead to:

A narrow upper jaw or crowded teeth

Mouth breathing and snoring

Speech difficulties

Poor sleep

A long-term risk of needing orthodontics

Tongue-tie (a tight band of tissue under the tongue) can make proper posture almost impossible without support. That's why in our clinic, we often see children with posture, feeding, or speech issues who benefit from chiropractic care and tongue mobility work.

🧔 What About Adults?

If you didn’t develop proper tongue posture as a child, you might be feeling the effects now—without even realizing it.

Here’s how it can show up:

1. Jaw tension & TMJ pain

A low or forward tongue puts more pressure on your jaw and neck muscles.

2. Mouth breathing & poor sleep

Low tongue posture can make it harder to breathe through your nose, leading to dry mouth, snoring, and disturbed sleep.

3. Posture & balance problems

Believe it or not, research shows that tongue position can actually influence your overall balance and body stability.

4. Grinding & clenching (bruxism)

When your tongue isn't supporting your jaw properly, it can trigger more clenching and grinding—especially at night.

🌿 A Chiropractic Approach to Tongue Posture

At our Cardiff clinic, we look at the whole person, not just the spine. That’s why tongue posture often comes up in our assessments for:

Jaw pain (TMJ)

Headaches

Sleep issues

Neck tension

Breathing and airway concerns

Hypermobility

Aligning the neck and jaw, releasing tension, and helping the nervous system regulate breathing and posture more effectively.

💡 Try This at Home: Tongue Posture 101

Want to start improving your tongue posture today? Here are some simple steps:

1. Check your rest position: Is your tongue on the roof of your mouth when you're relaxed?

2. Close your lips gently and breathe through your nose.

3. Practice “suction hold”: Try gently suctioning your entire tongue to your palate without straining.

4. Do posture check-ins: Every few hours, notice where your tongue is.

If you’re struggling, feel tightness under your tongue, or deal with jaw/mouth ussues, come and see us. We can help assess the structure behind the problem and work with your care team to make real changes.

🏁 Final Thoughts

Tongue posture might be small, but its impact is mighty.

From helping children’s faces grow properly to relieving adult jaw pain and improving sleep, it’s one of those “hidden gems” in health that most people never hear about. But at our Cardiff chiropractic clinic, we believe in looking beyond symptoms, to the root causes of dysfunction. And can, that starts with the tongue.