Constantly rubbing tongue against teeth

[badmouth]

I have a similar issue because of teeth sensitivity and pain. It does seem very much like an OCD type disorder, which might be helped by certain anti-depressants if it gets really bad. What I do is chew a small piece of gum for a good part of the day and that helps a lot to keep my mouth "occupied". My situation is probably due to withdrawal from said ADs.

But if my dentist didn't take it seriously and try to help me fix the situation, whatever it takes, I would can him in a heartbeat. This is serious quality of life stuff and that is their job.

 

[Macula]

I think, correcting your teeth gap can be the solution for that. You need to fix your teeth gap first with Orthofill. I've tried it and it's really working for teeth gaps. Because your tongue is only finding a way to get entertained with it. So I think you must fix your teeth gap first. I hope this will help you.
#Orthofill #howtofixteethgap

I have this same problem and I'm not sure that would be a long term fix. My tongue plays with the natural edges of my lower front teeth.

It feels like I have no control over it. It's constant. It is very maddening. If there's a fix, I imagine it'd be with a psychological approach--behavioral reinforcement or something like that.

 

[dominiqueofcanada]

It's not tongue thrusting at all. I have the same problem for going on two years now. My tongue is swollen, red on the end and I have occasional blisters because of it. Quite simply, it is not something that happens because of a swallow. I am doing it all the time. It's not a side-effect of medication; I'm not on anything. I talked to my doctor about it and it's stress -- pure and simple. It started for me after a teeth cleaning that left a small gap between my two lower teeth that wasn't evident before that. Even as I'm typing this, I am swirling my tongue over those two teeth. My tongue is raw and it hurts, but I can't stop. The long-term effect of this behavior has thankfully not caused displacement of my two lower teeth, but it has caused the gum line to recede notably. It's a psychological tic that is caused by stress; that's what my psychologist has told me. I believe him because the behavior becomes markedly worse when my stress load increases. I hope that helps. I'll let you know if I am ever able to stop.

 

[Suzie Liveforever]

This is me.. I've been doing the same thing and it's making me insane.. i feel just like you explained. I'm driving myself nuts and am sure I'm going to push my teeth out doing this. I even do it in my sleep ugh. Hope you found help.

Yep. Me too. I now chew gum (like cow my one daughter says) but it gives your OCD tongue something to occupy itself with. I even will sleep with the gum in my mouth.
JUICYFRUIT IN THE bottle of gum and it is still almost $5. And that lasts for maybe two days and then another $5. That get expensive on a budget such as mine.

So, it helps my tongue but now I have chewing issues that I have to....refine. And, I now have a callous on the side of my tongue. It is like have A STONE IN YOUR SHOE.

I have molar removed in my right lower and sometimes it's so bad that my tongue and mouth are burning and swollen. ( look up burning mouth syndrome. It's an affliction too.)

Eating does relieve it. I do use losenges, hard candy, lolly pop etc but I found gum to be the best.

I will just be grateful my the tooth hole is not in the front. It would be even less attractive sticking my tongue through that--- and be very glad for modern dentistry.

And YES!!!! It is thew bridges, braces, crowns, the weird filling's FAULT. It's not mine. I was quite normal before this. I do not have the time or money to be crazy right now and putting the blame on my psycho issues...well no. I reject that. It is not helping so my new reality shall be that .....

We are more enlightened, perceptive and sensitive that the regular run of the mill public. Therefore, we sense irregularities and recognize that the problem was caused by.....well.....not me. Whatever is ticking us off is not my fault.
I CHOOSE to deflect the blame to anyone else but me today.
Tongue. Front and centre.
Knock it off or I WILL pierce you. But probably not.
Then would I
have just on more problem child to deal with.
A problem child and piercing stories rarely turn out well.

btw. I've been "worrying" that hole in my mouth as a wrote this.
This is shame sticker. Shame is good for NOTHING, but to tell you about my dirty little secret let's me use the poor little thing to share.
Shame doesn't get included in discussions because he is usually an unproductive little guy attached to someone who has done nothing to deserve the experience. Shame sticker has a crappy job.
My lorazapam is working now so I will see how it helps me in this regard.
I

 

[[email protected]]

I have a gap in my teeth where two teeth have rotated inwards slightly and my tongue has become obsessed with it! Honestly, it's like it has a mind of its own! I am constantly pushing my tongue against the gap and running it along the crooked surface created by the rotated teeth, but it isn't a conscious thing. I have to make a conscious effort to stop it but I usually just end up doing it again once my mind is on other things. My tongue is pretty sore now, which I can cope with, but I just find the habit totally exhausting, mentally and physically, and I'm at the point of not being able to cope with that anymore. Any ideas why I am doing this and how I can stop? I feel like I need help with it but I'm not sure whether to consult a dentist, doctor or psychologist!

Hi prospon
Have you been able to solve this habit? I'm having the same issue now. Does it end up hurting your tongue and gum as well?
Thanks
Nabil

 

[[email protected]]

I have the same problem although my teeth in the bottom front are fine I tend to scrape my tongue on them. This has caused my gum line to recede and my two front teeth have slightly grown outwards. It's a habit I can't seem to stop it will take a lot of willpower, kind of like my nail biting habit. However I have done Abit of research and some dentists could make a mouth guard and this may help Abit. My dentist hasn't really come across this so I had suggested it to him and he will try and make this for me as soon as he has the materials. I'm really excited about this. I'll let you know how it goes. but for the mean time let's try and stop ourselves best we can. Mind over matter. (That's if this is still a problem for you?) lol

Hi tolivia, how long did you do this habit for till your gum receded?
Have you been able to fix the recession
Thanks
Nabil

 

[catD]

I started doing this a couple months ago and have a solution for the tongue pain; it's just a hassle for when you want to eat. I first figured this out back when I was a kid with braces where the metal used to gouge deeply into my cheeks. Take some regular lined paper. Pull a rectangle off that's about 2 inches by 1.5 inches. Fold the shorter end over twice, so that you have 3 layers, about the width of your teeth. Lick both sides then stick it behind your back teeth, continuing to wet it until you get it firmly in place. Sometimes you'll have to throw one out and start over again, but you'll get the hang of it. This gives your tongue a rest and your teeth look fine and you can talk with it in place. It's also cheap and convenient and easy to dispose of since it's just regular paper. I'm going to look into dental guards or gag gifts to cover the back of the teeth, but I doubt I'll improve on this.

 

[LynnS]

I am following this thread because I have the same problem. I am 62 years old. For the past 2 years I had braces on my teeth to correct some severely crooked teeth that were overcrowded and starting to crack each other. The braces were removed 4 months ago. Two of the top teeth (one especially) are NOT in correct alignment. I even struggle to speak correctly. But the WORST thing is the constant tongue movement, which started the DAY the braces came off. My tongue and jaw are in constant agony and my throat is sore. I agree with the comments made about it being like Tourette's or dystonia. Both my daughter and her 11-year-old son have Tourette's and OCD, and my dad had OCD. But in all my years I have NEVER exhibited symptoms, despite it being linked to me genetically. Medications never helped my daughter with her tics, but I am at the point where I am thinking to go to a neurologist.

I can't help but feel that it would stop if the orthodontist would just FIX the tooth that is still out of alignment. I am on a long waiting list here in the UK to see a maxillofacial orthodontist. In the mean time, I am in constant pain and going out of my mind.

 

[dlm5148]

What in the world is going on with this topic? I have been having the tongue cleaning teeth issues for the past several months. My dentist says there is absolutely nothing wrong with my gums, health of my mouth, teeth etc. I am a five year breast cancer survivor, had no issues with my teeth thru my chemo or radiation. One small spot of enamel came off and was repaired. Had constant check ups on my teeth as I was aware that issues could happen from chemo etc. Now I feel like my gums are shrinking or something is happening. Again no changes in my routine cleanings and check ups. I feel my teeth have gapped more since but wonder if it is me mentally losing it. All day long I am having constant tongue movement across ALL OF MY TEETH ..alllllll dayyyyyy long! My family says they see the movement and now say they hear it..sucking my teeth!! It is maddening. I do it in my sleep. It feels to me like I have a film of some sort at the gum line of my teeth..I actually think I am moving it around. Can feel it between my teeth..but honestly. I check and touch and there is NOTHING...all in my head?? No gum disease, no yeast infection, ...maddening!! I try chewing gum to distract myself. I recently walked out of the dentists office from having my teeth cleaned and could still feel this film or what I think is a film. Nada..nothing there. Bought a water pik, tried baking soda, salt, vinegar to brush my teeth and nothing makes them feel clean. I am considering talking to my Dr about maybe an anti anxiety med or something to calm this mess down. Has anyone found hope for this issue?? Thank you all! I am a mess when I hear other people making mouth noises..misphonia is what that is called. I am annoyed with myself now!

 

[Obsessed1]

I constantly lick chips on my teeth and the surfaces of my teeth, including gums. I have tongue thrust and push my tongue behind my front teeth, I feel it go a little between my teeth when I swallow and have scalloped tongue (permanent bite narks on tongue edges) and my teeth have not been worn away or changed position much after I had braces 10 years ago. I used to grind my teeth severely which wore the tips of my teeth but using my tongue has never caused me much harm.

If you fear there is something wrong with your teeth/gums when dentists insists they're ok and you are doing compulsive things to try and ease your anxiety then I would definitely look into body dysmorphic disorder. My teeth issues are partly BDD.

 

[Englesea]

[i have the same problem but have bridges top and bottom. Reluctant to chew gum as its sticks to the bridges.
as the teeth holding the bridges are decayed thinking of having dentures. Hope this solves the problem

 

[jahpickney]

I also have an issue where I'm constantly rubbing my tongue against my left canine tooth. I had braces as a kid, so my teeth are good, it's just that the tooth has a thick base. To solve problems like these, used the mind. Just picture this body like a device you control.

 

[CarrieMax]

I have a gap in my teeth where two teeth have rotated inwards slightly and my tongue has become obsessed with it! Honestly, it's like it has a mind of its own! I am constantly pushing my tongue against the gap and running it along the crooked surface created by the rotated teeth, but it isn't a conscious thing. I have to make a conscious effort to stop it but I usually just end up doing it again once my mind is on other things. My tongue is pretty sore now, which I can cope with, but I just find the habit totally exhausting, mentally and physically, and I'm at the point of not being able to cope with that anymore. Any ideas why I am doing this and how I can stop? I feel like I need help with it but I'm not sure whether to consult a dentist, doctor or psychologist!

I have done this for over a year now, just as you have explained. It's got to the point where my speech as a bit impaired or at least different. I believe that the constant tongue pressure against my bottom teeth has caused them to move outward a bit which has made a change in my bite and also caused my mouth to form some of my words in a strange way to me. I'm not sure if anyone else notices, but I sure do.

Guess the answer is to first go to the dentist and fix both the newer split between my bottom front teeth and the chip on the back of my tooth (which occurred later). I'm thinking that the split is probably due to receding gum.

Let me know if you found an answer.

 

[MTU]

UPDATE!!!
This is an update to my first post several years ago.
I finally found a dentist that fixed my problem and it was my crown. All he had to do was smooth down the area between the 2 crowns that my tongue was attracted to, Wala! Problem solved! This has taken 4 dentists and 3 crowns to finally find the right dentist to recognize my dental problem and fix it.
I hope others can find someone willing to listen and fix this problem without resorting to expensive dental procedures or OCD drugs.

 

[catD]

UPDATE: How I fixed it!!!!!

It's been less than a week now, but it's looking good.

I was looking online for solutions again and came across someone saying that he assumed a limbo-like position, throwing back his head, and did 10 repetitions of such an exercise twice a day. I didn't think that would work for me, but I was intrigued by the idea of throwing back one's head. It did feel like the tongue settled in its natural place then.

My situation was that I had just learned that something which had been stressing me out was okay, and I was feeling rather sluggish. I suggest trying this on a low-stress day and consider a hot bath or massage to help.

What I did was remain super focused on keeping my tongue from doing it for an entire day, throwing my head back when my tongue tried. My results weren't perfect, but they were very good. My attention was always there, and I never back slid for more than a few seconds.

The amazing thing was that when I woke up the next day, ready to go at it again, it was much, much, much easier. Yes, I kept focus, but far less attention was needed. I also used a toothbrush to clear food debris, not wanting my tongue to make any of those aggressive motions.

I'm about 5 days into it and yes I'm still paying attention to my tongue, but aside from sucking a bit in my mouth, my tongue feels normal as it hasn't in a year or two. The urge isn't even there. It's amazing.

 

[Crystal21]

I am scared of this problem / habit I started and I don’t know how it started. I constantly rub my tongue on the inside of my bottom teeth to the point where my tongue now hurt and my teeth feel weird. I tried sucking on candy to stop but nothing is working. I hate this and I am also worried I am hurting my teeth and gums. Any suggestions?

 

[Is it stress]

I hate this so bad, I take celexa and the dr uped my dose from 20 mg to 40mg and I go to a therapist but still suck on my teeth rub my teeth until my mouth is burning my teeth feel like individual chicklets and I feel like I can feel the roots of my teeth. I am going crazy, please help. I also feel like there is threads between my teeth and I can suck on them through my teeth and it feels like they are moving but when I try to touch it with my finger there is nothing there

 

[Airi]

so its not good to rub my tongue to my teeth? i've been doing this after i got scaling and everytime my gum bleed.. oh no..

 

[LolaNP]

I have done this for over a year now, just as you have explained. It's got to the point where my speech as a bit impaired or at least different. I believe that the constant tongue pressure against my bottom teeth has caused them to move outward a bit which has made a change in my bite and also caused my mouth to form some of my words in a strange way to me. I'm not sure if anyone else notices, but I sure do.

Guess the answer is to first go to the dentist and fix both the newer split between my bottom front teeth and the chip on the back of my tooth (which occurred later). I'm thinking that the split is probably due to receding gum.

Let me know if you found an answer.

Hi! This is my first time on here and I just saw your post. I am experiencing the same thing. My mother is a dental hygienist and she noticed it today after not seeing me for 3 weeks that my teeth had moved - I realized i push my tongue up against my teeth so much - and it has certainly caused a shift in the teeth alignment. And seriously, I do not enjoy the dentist. And especially the orthodontist apparently (ugh - did you happen to wear the expander?!). So, I am just exploring and reading though - I am eager to learn more. Have you seen a dentist yet? I saw up on the top bar a link to help find doc's who are more aware or compassionate of the condition (heck, they might even have it too??). Anywho, I'm going to go check it out. Hope you have had luck!
-Lauren

 

[Teeth_Feeler]

Wow! I just joined this site to be involved in this post. Like my screen name? LOL After a few years of not taking great care of my teeth, I changed all that a few months ago. BUT! I have developed this habit in the last month of constantly feeling the bottom front teeth with my tongue. I noticed it has become quite the problem to the point I googled it and came across this thread. Has anyone had any success at fixing this? I sure as heck don't want on any anti-anxiety meds and don't feel I am under anymore stress than normal. Maybe I will try the gum for a few days. I am also a smoker, not sure if that has anything to do with this or not? Anyone else smoke with this habit? My tongue is numb from this activity and I too am going crazy