Last Updated:June 17, 2025, 16:05 IST
While using a straw to sip on a drink might be convenient, it comes with a set of drawbacks for your oral health.
The doctor mentioned how using straws too often may disrupt proper tongue posture. (AI Generated Image)
Many of us instinctively choose to sip from straws, whether for convenience or to protect our teeth from staining or erosion. It’s easy to assume that this simple tool offers a safer, cleaner way to enjoy beverages. However, dentist Dr. Seb Lomas cautions that this everyday habit may have hidden drawbacks that could impact your oral health in unexpected ways. Straws might be affecting your natural swallowing patterns – a concern you may never have considered.
Let’s take a closer look at what Dr. Seb has to say about the potential risks and how to use straws in a way that supports better oral function.
Could Straws Be Changing How You Swallow?
In an Instagram post, Dr. Seb sheds light on a surprising connection between straw use and swallowing patterns. “Did you know that using straws too often can actually be an issue for your myofunctional routines?” he asks his followers, urging them to think about the mechanics of drinking through a straw.
He elaborates, using a standard drinking straw as an example. “Think about how you use a straw, whether it’s for water, juice or smoothies. You place it in your mouth, suck your cheeks in, pull your lips down, and create negative pressure. That backward-sucking motion can actually pull the tongue out of its natural position. Over time, this can interfere with the way you swallow because you’re relying on air pressure instead of proper tongue posture.”
According to Dr. Seb, this shift in tongue placement and muscle engagement can lead to undesirable changes in how we perform the basic act of swallowing. Within the realm of myofunctional therapy – a discipline that focuses on the proper function of facial and oral muscles – the aim is to cultivate correct swallowing habits that don’t depend on excessive movement of other facial muscles. As Dr. Seb puts it, “We want the swallow to happen naturally, without the cheeks or lips doing extra work.”
How To Use Straws The Right Way?
Rather than swearing off straws entirely, Dr. Seb encourages people to be mindful of how they use them. He highlights that there are specially designed straws available that promote what he refers to as the “perfect swallow.” These innovative straws are crafted in a way that prevents the development of poor muscle habits, instead guiding the tongue into its ideal position for swallowing.
When offering practical advice, Dr. Seb says, “The best way to use a straw is to suck the liquid into your mouth, then remove your lips from the straw and swallow normally. That way, you’re ensuring your muscles stay in balance and you’re promoting a healthy, natural swallowing technique.”
By becoming aware of how we engage our facial and oral muscles during everyday actions like drinking, we can take small steps toward protecting not just our teeth but our overall oral health.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published:
#Straws #Swallowing #Oral #Health #Health #Fitness #News
