Odd tongue sucking habit, PLEASE HELP!

It sounds strange, but whenever I sleep or am in a restful state of mind, I suck on my tongue by tucking my teeth over my top teeth and suckle. Similar to thumb sucking, and I've doing it since I was little. I'm now 20 and now I'm more worried about dental issues than ever. My dentist said I have beautiful teeth, but I've become extremely paranoid.

I've tried retainers with small pokey things to prevent my tongue, but all that did was cause lacerations and I still continued. It makes it difficult because my tongue is in my mouth and most times then not its a subconscious habit and I can't control it.

I can't find any help with this and even my dentist wasn't sure if it'd cause damage.

I'd like to if it will affect my teeth in any way, if not I'll continue and just accept it because if I don't do it I cannot sleep at night.

Please someone help with some insight, I'm at my wit's end.

[lving4today]

I meant tucking my TONGUE over my top teeth.

[scottma]

Unusual tongue habit has always been a difficult contition to treat. Your descriptions suggest tongue thrust habbit. Tongue thrust may cause anterior teeth open bite or front teeth flaring out.In addition, abnormal tongue position may contribute to abnormal breathing pattern, which may contribute to neck, upper back or chest pain.
I have few cases of tongue thrust patients successfully corrected by occlusal appliance.
Seeing a tmj specialist is advised.

[lving4today]

My dentist said I have perfect teeth so wouldn't some damage have been done by now since I'm now 20 and it started when I was like 6?

[cathy255]

I am 38 and also suck my tongue.  I've been doing this since I was a baby. My dentists always says I have a beautiful bite and I have never had a cavity. It seems like it helps me to relax especially at night or right before falling asleep. I never dreamed anyone else in the world had this habit or even heard of it for that matter. I only started becoming curious about it when the show My Strange Addiction came on the air. I'm glad to know I'm not the only person that has this odd habit.

[valerieogo]

I'm 25 aand I also suck my tongue...my doctor says I have a cross bite..andd I really don't like the llook and feel,becos it gives me jaw pain and then headache.besides that,I really want to leaarn to stop this habit,its embarrassing.how do I stop. Btw,m surprised that other peopple also experience wat I am.

[valerieogo]

I'm 25 aand I also suck my tongue...my doctor says I have a cross bite..andd I really don't like the llook and feel,becos it gives me jaw pain and then headache.besides that,I really want to leaarn to stop this habit,its embarrassing.how do I stop. Btw,m surprised that other peopple also experience wat I am.

[itsjustsid2]

I'm 27 and I've been sucking my tongue since I can remember.  I've tried to stop but when I do at night, I don't sleep well and I just start subconsciously.  I got braces about a year ago and I thought (well, hoped) that it would make me stop buuuuut unfortunately that was a lost cause.  Glad to hear that someone else does this too!  Good luck, everyone!  =)

[imatotalmess]

I'm 34 and I have been sucking my tongue since my parents got me to give up the thumb at age 3. I had a lisp and slight over bite. Both are gone now. I quit sucking my tongue when I had it pierced at age 16. I was actually unable to contimue sucking it the way I did, I would fold the tongue upward and suck the tip toward the back of my throat, kind of like i could swallow it. Well four years ago when I removed my tongue jewelry for various reasons I started up again immediately, without even realizing it. Up until now its been an occasional thing but the past few weeks ita been constant and very intense. It makes me look stupid and its causing sores on my tongue. Im very bothered and confused and I wish I knew why and how to stop it. :(

[nina92]

i have the exact same problem but the problem is that i have an open pit, i can`t pit anything normally it causes a Psychological problem, i actually feel stupid, i never knew that anyone else has it . i really need a treatment, i can`t pit anything and my face looks weird because my lower jaw does not apply to the upper jaw ,i really hate it i tried to stop but i can`t, i even tied my tongue inside my mouth so that i can`t do it but i ended up doing it. i really don`t know what to do. and i look very stupid in front of my family ,i really hate it i`m 18 years old and i suck my tongue that`s very embarrassing

[redbum07XL]

Im 20 also and never thought if someone wit this same habbit, ive been doing it since i was,born even my son do it and im a business executive woman, so yes im really embarrassed by it but i can never stop no matter how much ive tried. Sucking my tougue is a way to confront myself when im going through a bad situaton or time and as much as i hate doing it where ever:-(
I say it a sigb of being a big baby......lol. This is why i hate it the most.

[Saydeez]

Im 16 and Ive also been sucking my tongue since I was a baby. Seems it's hereditary as my mom had the same problem. It is causing a wicked overbite and sometimes affects my breathing. Anyone with any suggestions?

[allycat2015]

I am 15 and had this problem all my life. I have a terribly large open bite, and my front teeth are pushed out to also cause and over bite. My lower jaw has also shifted somewhat to the right due to this. It can affect your teeth very badly like in my case. I went to get braces but it would have been pointless cause they make retainers just for this problem but all it did was cause pain cause I kept doing it.

[CuddleBunny909]

I used to suck my tongue. Ever since I was a baby until I got a tongue guard put in my mouth which accompanied braces when I was 15. The tongue guard was in my mouth for a year. The tongue guard prevented me from sucking. I would get so frustrated at night because that had been my only way of getting any sleep. It had the same effect a pacifier would have for a baby.

I finally learned to get to sleep well without doing it. Even after they took it out, my tongue was trained to stay in my mouth, My advise is to seek therapy. That is the most effective treatment for this.

Other than that, there is wearing a night guard (temporary) or tongue guard (permanent). With the tongue guard, you can't just take it out...you're stuck with it until your dentist removes it. I wouldn't recommend a night guard very highly unless you have discipline/self-control.

[itsmethatgirljks]

i am 17 and i also suck my tongue! my top teeth are slightly over my bottom teeth and iv asked for braces before but my dentist thinks my teeth are fine and good! its annoying because i cant stop and its causing my teeth to push out and also become very spaced. it gets me insecure at times and i need a solution!!!!

[Nikkik62300]

i suck my tongue and im 12 and my mom tries to get me to stop but i do it without thinking i also did it when i was a baby.

[Nikkik62300]

i am 12 years old and i suck my tongue my mom has tried to stop me from **** it but i do it without thinking.

[jim614]

I used to suck my tongue right up until I was 28. I used to rub the labels you find on clothes and the likes and suck my tongue. It was very pleasureable but it was something I would loved to have stopped doing. Anyway I had to get my tonsils removed as I suffered from tonsil stones and now I cant suck my tongue as its not comfortable to do so since my tonsils where removed.  Its an unexpected bonus of the surgery although I sort of miss the pleasure lol

[SallyJane313]

I'm 26 and I suck my tongue! I have perfect teeth and no cavities. I think my tongue sucking actually kept my teeth straight over the years. I have been doing it since I was a baby and I have an old blue pillow case that I like to hold when I'm sleepy or stressed. I don't really see a problem with it. I don't do it outside of the house and it really helps me sleep. It's nice to know that I'm not alone though!

[Richard091960]

I have sucked my teeth for years. I think it started when my teeth felt a bit furry and I would try and clean them subconsciously by sucking on them. Well, years later it has had a really bad side effect. I have developed Leukoplakia on the underside of my tongue and have had to have two very painful surgeries, under local anesthetic to remove it. Four injections into the tongue is really nasty. Leukoplakia is damage to skin cells caused by constant trauma, in my case my tongue rubbing against the side of my teeth. If Leukoplakia is untreated it can become cancerous. I first became aware of it because I had a burning sensation under my tongue. When I looked carefully, I could see a milky white patch under my tongue. I went to the doctor and found out what it was. If you have chipped teeth or sharp edges on your teeth, get your dentist to smooth of fill. On my last surgery one of the stitches developed an abscess, extremely painfull, could hardly swallow for days. I am still waiting for the results on whether its cancerous or not. Dentists are meant to check your mouth for Leukoplakia, I am not sure they do. Be aware. If you can stop yourself sucking on your teeth, do it.

[Richard091960]

I have sucked my teeth for years. I think it started when my teeth felt a bit furry and I would try and clean them subconsciously by sucking on them. Well, years later it has had a really bad side effect. I have developed Leukoplakia on the underside of my tongue and have had to have two very painful surgeries, under local anesthetic to remove it. Four injections into the tongue is really nasty. Leukoplakia is damage to skin cells caused by constant trauma, in my case my tongue rubbing against the side of my teeth. If Leukoplakia is untreated it can become cancerous. I first became aware of it because I had a burning sensation under my tongue. When I looked carefully, I could see a milky white patch under my tongue. I went to the doctor and found out what it was. If you have chipped teeth or sharp edges on your teeth, get your dentist to smooth of fill. On my last surgery one of the stitches developed an abscess, extremely painfull, could hardly swallow for days. I am still waiting for the results on whether its cancerous or not. Dentists are meant to check your mouth for Leukoplakia, I am not sure they do. Be aware. If you can stop yourself sucking on your teeth, do it.

[Sofikitou]

I am 26 year old since I can remember myself I sucked my tongue (the kind that you try to swallow it) I do it unconsciously when I am thinking or when I am about to sleep. In addition to the sucking I like to smell things for example when I was little I had a bunny and a doll with strange hair that I liked to smell when I grew older I smelled pillows and then my sleeves and in the summers my own skin (it stills calms me). I thought I was the only one with this strange habit and since I was little my parents where trying to stop me but two years ago I learnt that both were sucking their tongues since childhood so I guess it's in the family. I don;t have any dental problems from this habit in fact my teeth are perfect and I was never ashamed for it.

[Mimi1515]

I also have the same situation as you. But how did you stop lisping?