Myth-Dispelling Facts about Tongue-Tie
In spite of astounding progress in the field of medicine, there is ongoing controversy about tongue-tie. Remarkably, the debate includes whether or not tongue-tie even exists. Some medical specialists dismiss tongue-tie as a myth. Yet, countless individuals can attest from personal experience that it is an existing condition associated with a wide range of problems. Mothers of breastfeeding babies are a considerable percentage of those who have no doubt that their child had tongue-tie that was remedied by a frenectomy. Below, learn more about tongue-tie, what causes it, symptoms of the condition, frenectomies, and more.
What is Tongue-Tie?
Ankyloglossia or tongue-tie is caused by a frenulum that restricts the tongue. The frenulum is also known as the lingual frenulum, and it is the small fold of membrane that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If the frenulum is short or especially tight, tongue mobility can be adversely affected. Tongue-tie is a genetic condition that frequently runs in families.
How is Tongue-Tie Diagnosed?
Tongue-tie can be identified from the moment of birth, and it is usually diagnosed during a physical exam, often an exam by a dentist or orthodontist. The tongue has a part in the development of straight, healthy teeth. When diagnosing infants, physicians may use a screening tool to score different aspects of the tongue’s mobility and appearance.
Newborn Symptoms of Tongue-Tie
Not all doctors check newborn infants for signs of tongue-tie, but certain symptoms of the condition can be detected early on. A newborn’s open mouth posture, symptoms of sleep apnea, and mouth breathing are all potential signs of tongue-tie.
Breastfeeding symptoms of tongue-tie
The following have been identified as symptoms of tongue-tie a breastfeeding child may exhibit:
- Difficulty latching on
- Inability to sustain the latch for long
- Shallow latching
- Feeding for prolonged periods
- Continued restlessness, even after lengthy feeds
- Makes a clicking noise during nursing
- Irritable and a refusal to feed
- Spilling and dribbling
- Sliding off the nipple
- Dozing off while breastfeeding
- Chewing or gumming the breast
- Unable to use a bottle or pacifier
- Reflux
- Colic
- Excessive gas
- Arching the back and pulling away from the breast
Mother’s breastfeeding symptoms
- Pain when nursing
- Bleeding, cracked nipples
- Over or undersupply of breast milk, as the breast is inefficiently emptied
- Inverted or lipstick nipple
Developmental Signs of Tongue-Tie
Experts on tongue-tie often agree that it is best to have a frenectomy performed during the newborn stage. The procedure of snipping or removing the frenulum is very quick and virtually painless. Not only does it help with breastfeeding, but addressing tongue-tie by having a frenectomy can also prevent developmental issues, including the following:
- Lisp
- Delayed speech development
- Difficulty saying certain sounds and letters
- Unable to use the tongue for moving food off of teeth, resulting in tooth decay (even when brushing is frequent)
- Aversions to certain food textures
- Unable to move tongue past the lips
- Choking or gagging
- Jaw pain
- Back and neck pain
- Migraines
- Slumped or forward posture
Contact Gep TOTs Dental Group
At Woodbridge Orthodontics, an experienced team of experts at the Gep TOTs Dental Group specializes in treating tongue-tie and lip-tie. Call Gep TOTs today at (647) 492-7059, if you know or suspect that your child has tongue-tie.
