When we think about primitive reflexes, we usually associate them with babies and early development. However, these early movement patterns can still influence how the adult nervous system functions if they don’t fully integrate. For adults striving for optimal health, efficient movement, and better performance, a retained rooting reflex can subtly interfere with mouth control, neck posture, coordination, and sensory regulation.
What the Rooting Reflex Is
The rooting reflex is present at birth and plays a vital role in early survival. When a baby’s cheek or the area around the mouth is gently stimulated, the baby will automatically turn their head toward that side. This is often accompanied by opening the mouth and sometimes thrusting the tongue forward.
The Purpose of the Rooting Reflex
This automatic movement helps the baby locate the nipple and initiate feeding. The rooting reflex ensures the baby can feed effectively, supporting growth and development during the earliest stages of life before they learn to consciously control their neck and mouth movements.
In short, this reflex is essential for survival in the newborn phase.
When the Rooting Reflex Should Integrate (Disappear)
The rooting reflex is present at birth and is controlled primarily by the brainstem. As the baby grows and higher brain centres mature, voluntary control of the mouth, lips, and tongue should gradually take over.
The rooting reflex typically integrates around 6 months of age, which also coincides with the baby becoming interested in solid foods and developing more deliberate oral motor control.
What Can Happen If the Rooting Reflex Doesn’t Integrate
If the rooting reflex remains active and higher brain centres don’t fully take over control of mouth and tongue movements, it can interfere with later development related to oral function.
Children and adults with a retained rooting reflex often show a more forward-positioned tongue in the mouth. This can be associated with:
- Excessive drooling
- Speech and articulation difficulties
- Poor or inefficient swallowing
- Overbite or protruding front teeth
- Seeking oral stimulation by biting on fingernails or pens
- Picky eating habits
- Increased sensitivity to textures in the mouth
These challenges aren’t about weakness alone—they reflect immature or poorly integrated neurological control of the mouth, tongue, jaw, and neck.
Exercises to Help Integrate the Rooting Reflex in Adults
As with other primitive reflexes, I prefer to use simple reflex-stimulating exercises that can be layered into more challenging positions. While the primary goal here is to work on reflex integration, these positions also give you an opportunity to improve balance, postural control, and overall physical resilience at the same time.
We’ll approach this in three stages: stimulate, modify, and override the reflex.
Stage 1: Stimulate the Reflex
- Stand on one leg in the shower
- Close your eyes
- Allow the water hit the face around the mouth and cheeks
This lightly activates the rooting reflex. Standing on one leg simply adds an extra postural and balance challenge, allowing you to work on your physical capacity while you’re already spending time on neurological retraining.
Stage 2: Modify the Reflex
- Stand on one leg again, this time up on your tip-toes
- Gently tap or stroke the face with a finger, moving slowly toward the mouth
- As the finger approaches the mouth, make a slow, deliberate facial expression rather than allowing an automatic response
This stage trains you to consciously modulate the reflex instead of letting it run automatically.
Stage 3: Override the Reflex
- Use an electric toothbrush to stimulate the face toward the mouth
- Lean against a wall with a towel between your head and the wall
- Press the head gently into the towel in different directions (back, forehead, or side)
- Focus on bracing and stabilising the neck, not moving it
Neck and jaw stability are closely linked. When you stabilise the neck, you naturally stabilise the jaw as well, which helps prevent automatic mouth opening and reinforces higher-level control over the reflex.
Final Thoughts
A retained rooting reflex can quietly affect speech, swallowing, eating behaviours, and sensory comfort well into adulthood. The good news is that, with the right combination of reflex stimulation, balance, strength, and conscious control, it’s possible to encourage better integration and more efficient neurological function.