Understanding the relationship between the tongue and palate means distinguishing resting contact, movements for speaking or swallowing and a deliberate exercise. This guide explains their relative positions and posture instructions without trying to maintain constant pressure.
Tongue and palate: contact, rest and movement
The tongue changes position during speech, chewing and swallowing. A resting-posture instruction therefore does not describe every movement. Observing your tongue when swallowing is not enough to establish its position the rest of the time.
During retraining, the professional may use a point on the palate to help you identify contact. They should demonstrate exactly what is expected, check that the instruction is comfortable and adapt it to your mouth. The intended contact must not become a competition to apply more pressure.
Why pay attention to tongue posture?
Resting pressure from the tongue and lips is one of the factors balancing tooth position. This is the framework Proffit describes in an influential theoretical paper. It does not demonstrate that forcing the tongue into a position is enough to correct the teeth. Proffit, 1978
Assessment may be appropriate when a professional identifies tongue interposition, a functional difficulty or something to address during orthodontic care. The useful criterion is the function assessed, not the ability to copy an online photograph of “correct posture”.
To distinguish possible observations, read our guide to the tongue's resting position.
Should the whole tongue be held against the palate?
A phrase such as “stick the tongue to the palate” lacks precision. It may mean contact, deliberate suction or a particular exercise. These three things are not interchangeable.
If you have received this instruction, ask where contact should occur, how much effort to use and for how long. Have the movement checked instead of maintaining constant tension. Pain, breathing discomfort or difficulty following the instruction warrants stopping and reviewing it.
Our article tongue stuck to the palate: sensation or instruction? helps you prepare these questions.
Can this change the shape of the face?
Promises of facial reshaping through mewing go beyond the available evidence. The British Orthodontic Society states that no scientific evidence supports changing facial shape by chewing or holding the tongue and teeth in a particular position. Statement of 23 May 2025.
Working on tongue function and promising an aesthetic transformation are different goals. Reviews of retraining alongside orthodontics likewise cannot guarantee correction of malocclusion through exercises alone. Homem et al., 2014
What if the position feels uncomfortable?
Describe the sensation instead of trying to force a correction: pressure against the teeth, pulling, jaw discomfort, dry mouth or difficulty breathing through the nose. Explain when it occurs and whether you already use an appliance.
If your tongue simply touches your palate without discomfort, this contact alone does not establish a disorder. If you have to struggle to maintain an instructed position or discomfort persists, an assessment can determine what to work on.
A retraining appliance may be considered within an appropriate approach, but wearing it does not guarantee an aesthetic or orthodontic result. Our guide to tongue positioning appliances explains their role.
Sources and method
- Proffit, 1978. Pressure equilibrium and tooth position: theoretical paper.
- Homem et al., 2014. Systematic review of myofunctional therapy in orthodontics.
- British Orthodontic Society, 23 May 2025. Statement on mewing claims.
Written by: Dr Vladimir Khourda, a dentist who no longer practises. Informational content updated on 1 October 2026 using the references cited. It does not replace an individual assessment.