One of the fascinating things I learned at the recent Australian Dementia Research Forum (ADRF) in Perth, was that reduced tongue strength is associated with reduced cognitive function. There is also a link between tongue muscle volume and brain volume, especially in areas like the hippocampus (our learning and memory warehouse).
Why is this the case?
A weaker tongue often reflects overall muscle weakness, which contributes to poorer mental functioning. Muscle strength is critical to brain health because when muscles contract they release proteins called myokines that improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation and enhance memory, learning and neuroplasticity. A particularly powerful myokine is called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which stimulates the growth of new brain cells and new connections between them.
If tongue weakness is severe, it can also interfere with a person’s ability to swallow properly, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and the risk of aspiration pneumonia (AP). AP is caused by food or liquid passing into the lungs instead of being swallowed into the stomach. This can give rise to lung inflammation and infection, which further compromises a person’s health.
Are there specific conditions that can cause tongue weakness?
Yes. Stroke, head injury, Parkinson’s disease, head, neck or oesophageal cancer, and radiation to the neck or throat, can all decrease the strength of a person’s tongue.
Can we strengthen our tongue?
Yes! The tongue is a muscle, and like all muscles, you can train it to become stronger. In fact, our tongue consists of eight intertwined muscles that work together to enable us to speak, swallow and taste.
Here are some specific exercises to improve your tongue strength. Don’t have any food or drink in your mouth while performing the exercises. Move your tongue as far as you can in each direction until you feel the muscles stretch without pain. Hold each position for five seconds, and repeat each exercise five times, two to three times a day.
- Tongue push ups — push your tongue up against the roof of your mouth as hard as you can.
- Tongue push down — push your tongue down against the floor of your mouth as hard as you can.
- Tongue extensions — stick out your tongue as far as you can before retracting it back into your mouth. In Tibet, sticking out one’s tongue is not considered rude.
- Tongue side sweep — extend your tongue out of your mouth to one side and hold for five seconds. Repeat with the other side.
- Tongue in cheek — push your tongue against the inside of each cheek for five seconds.
- Tongue lift — push down on your tongue with a spoon or tongue depressor and push up against the spoon with your tongue.
- Tongue stretch — try to touch your nose and then your chin with your tongue. Note that women have a shorter tongue than men.
- Gargle — gargle with water to strengthen the muscles in the back of your tongue.
Tongue piercings are not recommended because they can cause undesirable bacteria to linger in the mouth. Metal piercings also have the potential to cause cracks and deterioration in tooth enamel and gums, impair our sense of taste, and cause excessive salivation.
Incidentally, every person has a unique tongue print just like they have a unique fingerprint. This is due to the different taste buds we all possess.
Photo credit: I took this photo in downtown Atlanta Georgia where I did a series of Brain-Boosting presentations in May 2025. The statue clearly has good muscle strength.
Please forward this Health-e-Byte to anyone who has difficulty swallowing, has experienced one of the conditions that can cause tongue weakness, or has been diagnosed with cognitive impairment or dementia.
