Tongue-Tie and Its Effects on Your Child's Oral Health

Tongue-tie, also known as ankyloglossia, is a relatively uncommon condition that occurs when the piece of skin under the tongue and upper lip (the frenulum) is too tight and restrictive in a baby's mouth. This condition leads to the impaired movement of the tongue, which can further cause issues with speaking, swallowing, and breastfeeding in infants, poor oral health while growing up and other dental problems related to jaw development for older children and adults. Although the cause of tongue-tie is not certain, it is most likely passed down through genetics and is more common in boys.

What are the symptoms of tongue-tie?

Most cases of tongue-tie are mild, going unnoticed and sometimes even healing by themselves over time. However, some cases may cause more problems and require attention. One of the most common problems that a baby may have is difficulty in breastfeeding, specifically when trying to latch onto the nipple. For mothers, this may cause nipple pain or abrasion, as well as decreased milk supply. Similarly, babies may have a hard time drinking from a bottle because the bottle nipple will slip from their mouth and thus take a long time to feed them.

Over time, these problems may lead to malnourishment and slow weight gain due to the baby missing essential nutrients that they would have otherwise gotten from breast milk, as well as underdeveloped jaw bones. During childhood and beyond, there may be interference with social activities such as playing some musical instruments, kissing, and speech. Children impacted by tongue-tie may have trouble pronouncing certain sounds such as "t", "d", "z", "s", "th", and "r".

Tongue-tie also affects oral hygiene by making it harder to remove food debris from teeth (especially debris stuck in the gap between the front teeth). After a meal, many people typically use their tongue to clean out food that might be loosely stuck in the teeth or gums. However, due to the restricted movement of the tongue caused by tongue-tie, this food may remain in those places for hours and increase the chance of tooth decay. Moreover, if tongue-tie changes a child's resting tongue position, it may push against the front teeth for extended periods of time and cause a gap between them. This can ruin the child's smile and can sometimes require treatment if it gets worse. Very severe cases of tongue-tie can even slow down the development of the jaw, making it smaller than it should be and increasing the risk of sleep apnea as well as teeth crowding!

What can I do if my baby is affected?

Before taking any preventative action, make sure to get your child examined by Dr. Magathan for any concerns that you may have. There are cases where the problem will be solved on its own in a few years so taking action may not be necessary; a doctor will be able to tell you whether this is the case.

If your pediatrician or Dr. Magathan does recommend fixing the tongue-tie, there are a couple of commonly-used procedures. The first is a frenotomy, which involves cutting the frenulum to allow for more movement in the mouth. This procedure can often be done without anesthesia and the area heals within a few days.

Most importantly, try not to stress! Most cases of tongue-tie are easily diagnosed, will be resolved on their own or with a very safe and simple procedure. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!