05/27/2026
One simple exercise we often use in TMD rehab is the palate scrape
It looks basic, but it tells you a lot.
Can the tongue move along the palate without the jaw clenching, bracing, jutting forward or shifting side to side?
That’s the bit most people miss.
The tongue is a complex muscular structure involved in swallowing, breathing, speech, oral posture and jaw function. We use it thousands of times a day, yet it’s still overlooked in many areas of healthcare.
The tongue also plays an important role in jaw resting position and how the jaw organises itself during function. In many TMD patients, the jaw is already overworking.
If the tongue is restricted, poorly positioned, or the patient uses the jaw to help the tongue move, the jaw muscles often continue compensating unnecessarily.
A palate scrape is not a magic fix.
It’s a simple way to assess and retrain tongue control, improve awareness and reduce unnecessary jaw compensation as part of a broader rehab plan.
The tongue is rarely the whole answer, but in TMD, it is often one of the missing pieces.
