Scrutiny of Tongue Thrust: A Comprehensive Review.

Abstract Background – The different abnormal habits may affect orofacial structures and presence of even a single habit can be reason behind inducing a new habit. Basically, tongue thrust is a habit in which tongue touches to the upper anterior portion of the teeth rather than molars while swallowing. Tongue thrust caused because of various etiological factors such as tongue tie or retained infantile swallow i.e., physiologic, habitual, functional, or anatomic. As there are so many literatures available pertaining to the management of the tongue thrust however it is important to diagnose the condition and it is more important to have a knowledge how to identify tongue thrust for its correct management. The aim of this pertinent review is to summaries and briefly explain older as well as recent diagnostic aids or techniques to identify tongue thrust. Literature review – A review of pertinent literature is based on article searched through PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, Google scholar and Web of science electronic databases published in English language till year 2021 by Using Mesh terms, free text terms and some basic pamphlets related to tongue thrust. The Initial search was given 38 to 40 articles with the help of Mesh terms and 20 to 35 were selected based on the requirement In simple words, tongue trust is habit in which a person or a child while swallowing uses his/her facial muscle of expressions rather than using muscles of mastication. There is also widespread controversy amongst specialists that, only the resting posture of the tongue is an etiological factor behind the habit. The patient may or may not exhibit all the characteristics attributed to tongue thrust and no any single diagnostic method is superficial to identify tongue thrust. So, in this review we will be enlisting and explaining in detail about diagnostic aids available till date for tongue thrust habit. Conclusion- Tongue plays an important role in development of perioral structures as well as in the swallow to good speech articulation and dental occlusion. As pediatric dentist it is important to know how to diagnose the habit as early as possible for proper management and to avoid problems such as malocclusion/skeletal abnormalities. This literature will help in general dentist or pediatrician or pediatric dentist in diagnosing tongue thrust habit timely with the help of diagnostic aids including normal examination of structures, signs, and symptoms up to different tongue pressure measuring devices.