Your tongue feeling too big for your mouth (macroglossia) often stems from improper tongue resting posture, where it sits low or forward due to habits like mouth breathing (from congestion/allergies), thumb sucking, or a tongue-tie, which restricts movement and space; sometimes, it's a sign of conditions like Down syndrome, enlarged tonsils, or growth issues, affecting how the jaw develops and leaves less room, potentially leading to dental problems like open bites.
A tongue that doesn't fit properly on the palate often drops low in the mouth, increasing the risk of mouth breathing, snoring, and even sleep-disordered breathing.
Treatment for Macroglossia
In cases where the cause isn't clear, medical therapies haven't been shown to be useful. In mild cases of macroglossia, speech therapy may improve issues with speaking. In more severe cases, your healthcare professional may recommend surgery to reduce the size of your tongue.
On average, you swallow a total of 500 to 700 times per day, and your tongue exerts about four pounds of pressure onto your teeth every time you swallow. The correct position for the tongue is when the tip pushes against the gum above your upper front teeth, which is where the tip of your tongue should rest.
People with macroglossia have tongues that are larger than typical, given the size of their mouths. Most people are born with macroglossia that can be linked to conditions such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome or Down syndrome. People can also develop macroglossia from some forms of cancer or severe infections.
Also referred to as glossitis, this condition causes the tongue to become inflamed and is characterized by several things when your iron levels are low. The tongue's appearance can morph into multiple shades of red and swell slightly in size.
The experience of a tingling tongue during anxiety, medically known as paresthesia, is a result of the body's fight-or-flight response. When faced with stress or danger, the body prepares itself by initiating certain physiological changes.
A scalloped tongue, also known as crenated or indented tongue, is characterized by a wavy or notched appearance along the edges. These indentations are usually caused by the pressure of the tongue against the teeth. These indentations resemble scallops, hence the name.
Sometimes called tongue tamers or tongue spikes, they teach your tongue to sit further back in your mouth and off your teeth. It's not as bad as it sounds! We can also use a tongue crib, which holds the tongue into place and teaches it to stay off the teeth.
What are the symptoms of tongue problems?
In true macroglossia, enlargement of the tongue occurs due to tissue overgrowth from lingual muscular hypertrophy or glandular hyperplasia, tissue infiltration, infectious or inflammatory causes. It is seen in both congenital and acquired conditions.
Like the outside parts of the nose and the ear but unlike most other organs, the tongue continues to grow at advanced age.
In children and adults, untreated hypothyroidism and thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) can lead to swelling of the tongue and scalloped tongue. (Note that hypothyroidism also increases your risk of sleep apnea, a condition known to be one of the causes of scalloped tongue.)
Excess Stress
Signs of your body undergoing excessive stress can show up on your tongue as unusual redness, sores, and ulcers. Also, if your tongue appears to have marks around the edges, that could signify consistently biting your tongue due to stress.
When your tongue is at rest, the tip of your tongue should touch the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth, as a study published in Radiology and Oncology notes. The tip of your tongue shouldn't rest low on the floor of your mouth.
Usually, a puffy tongue is more annoying or uncomfortable than dangerous. But it may be a sign of something serious. It can even be a medical emergency if your tongue swells so much that it's hard for you to breathe.
The 2-2-2 rule in dentistry is a simple guideline for good oral hygiene: brush twice a day, for two minutes each time, and visit your dentist twice a year, helping to prevent cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems by establishing consistent habits for plaque removal and professional monitoring.
The good news? Tongue posture is trainable—at any age. Here's how to correct it: Myofunctional Therapy: A specialized set of exercises aimed at retraining the muscles of the mouth and face.
A tongue crib.
An orthodontist may fit this tongue-thrust appliance over your child's back teeth. It creates a barrier that prevents them from thrusting their tongue forward against their teeth. Most children need to wear tongue cribs from 6 months to a year to retrain their tongue.
Macroglossia is the medical term for an unusually large tongue. Enlargement of the tongue can cause cosmetic and functional difficulties while speaking, eating, swallowing and sleeping. It's quite uncommon and generally occurs in children.
For optimal thyroid health, the one key nutrient to focus on daily is iodine, found in foods like dairy, eggs, and seafood, but also selenium, provided by just a few Brazil nuts, is vital for hormone conversion, making eggs or Brazil nuts great morning choices, alongside a balanced breakfast with protein, healthy fats, and fiber for overall function.
Common signs of thyroid disease are unexplained weight gain or loss, fatigue, insomnia, and depression or anxiety. But some symptoms of thyroid problems may not seem like they would have anything to do with a thyroid problem: Shaking and nervousness. Fast heart rate.
Chronic stress causes destruction of the tongue and major sublingual gland histology. Chronic stress alters major sublingual gland secretion. Stress raises cortisol serum levels and lowers serotonin serum levels.
If your tongue looks wavy or indented around the edges, it might be scalloped tongue. It's usually caused by swelling and can be linked to things like dehydration, vitamin deficiencies or sleep apnea. It's not harmful on its own, but it's worth checking with your provider to find out what's behind it.