Many patients struggle with this movement because they haven't used this muscle before. The exercise provides sensory feedback to guide proper muscle contraction. The goal is to provide sensory feedback to help the patient learn how to contract this muscle. This can be done with a simple exercise.

Use a clean mouth mirror or a pen, ensuring:

• The object is clean
• Avoiding the gag reflex or discomfort
• Touching the V-shaped back part of the tongue, not the tip

By establishing contact with the styloglossus muscle, the patient's brain receives the guidance needed to contract it properly.