Thumb Sucking & Binkys: When to Quit and Why! 

Hi Sebarose, I'm so glad that you've found my channel's content helpful and encouraging! There are definitely correlations between TMJ and tongue thrusting, although not all patients with a tongue thrust have TMJ or vice versa. In regards to tongue posture during straw drinking, it's important to round the lips around the straw (like when you make the "ooo" sound in "who.") Keep the straw in front of the teeth, versus place the straw behind the teeth and pressing the straw down on the tongue - this reinforces tongue thrusting and is why I encourage patients to ditch camelbacks and suckspouts. Some therapist's teach this skill by using a Lip Block (talktools.com/products/lip-block?variant=28471454729). I'll consider making a video about this topic in the future!

@@daniellekleeslp4625 Thank you so much for your response, it was of great help to me. I practiced what you said and noticed tremendous improvement both in my jaw and tongue posture. I had learned about the importance of keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth mainly from mewing and other related articles about five years ago, but recently after researching myofunctional therapy discovered that I had a reverse swallow; which means that due years of low tongue posture my tongue had still retained the same reversed swallow pattern only sucked onto the roof of my mouth. I suspect that a lot of people that received their information online and haven’t sought a professional therapist whether because there isn’t one nearby or otherwise, may be having the same issue; thinking that they have corrected their tongue posture when they still have the same reverse swallow pattern without realizing it; and even after realizing it as they engage their tongue whether in drinking from a bottle, a cup or a straw in the same old way their jaw would retract and their tongue would follow to swallow in the same old dysfunctional manner where they’d think that it is either natural when it is conditioned, or feel overly conscious and confused as was in my case. I can’t express how thankful and helpful the information you’ve given to me was, as in my old habit when drinking or eating my jaw would move slightly in a horizontal position and my swallow would initiate from the back in a reverse swallow retracting my mandible, whereas in the manner you’ve explained my jaw remains very much neutral and I feel so much relief as my jaw doesn't retract and there isn't any tension on my TMJ. This to me shows that the way in which we engage our tongue and facial muscles in daily activities play a major role. I’d love to watch more of your videos especially about how to use straws and drink from cups, and any other daily activities that engage the tongue that patients find difficult, as there are multiple videos and information online about tongue posture but not so much about how to use straws, drink from bottles and cups with the same clarity and detail as your videos. Thank you again as i’m grateful for your response, and i’m looking forward for your future videos, hoping that others discover your channel as well.