Tongue tie, lip tie, cheek tie…have you heard these terms before? Has your baby struggled with nursing/bottle feeding, sleeping, or even digestive issues? This may be an underlying root cause. Tongue ties are starting to gain more recognition among the newborn/baby world, and rightfully so!

Tongue tie (medical term: ankyloglossia): a condition in which the thin piece of skin under the baby’s tongue (called the frenulum) is abnormally short and may restrict movement of the tongue.

Lip or buccal (cheek) ties are also types of abnormalities that can further restrict movement within the mouth.

Tongue ties, lip ties or cheek ties affect upwards of 25% of babies, maybe more. Boys are 3x more likely than girls to be affected, with ties often accompanying MTHFR genetic mutations. The problem is, not all providers know what to look for. Further, it’s not fully ‘accepted’ as being “real” within conventional medicine.

Signs of tongue tie to look for in your baby:

diagnosed with acid reflux, pediatrician suggested PPI
other GI symptoms including colic, possibly vomiting
fussy at the start of milk flow
pulls away from breast or bottle, crying, frustrated
nipple pain due to inability to latch fully
tongue appears heart-shaped
trouble moving or lifting tongue upwards or to the sides
clicking noise while feeding
may leak/dribble milk from the sides of mouth

Long-term effects of a tie reach beyond the immediate physical limitations it presents. Altered jaw and dental development, including high palate and narrow facial structure often follow as structural alterations. Your child may also have poor sleep because the tongue aids in proper airway development. If the tongue is not resting properly in the mouth, the brain wakes up your child as a reminder for the body to breathe. In turn, your child may grind to open the airway and, ultimately, may have behavior issues due to lack of sleep. Improper motion may also result in speech delays and inability to form certain sounds.

For an older child or adult, tongue-tie can make it difficult to sweep food debris from the teeth. This can contribute to tooth decay and inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). Tongue tie may also lead to formation of a gap or space between the two bottom front teeth. Higher risk of migraines, TMJ and other musculoskeletal problems could arise, as well.

Benefits of tongue/lip/cheek tie release:

improved sleep
improved feeding/eating
improved speech
decreased mouth breathing
improved oral hygiene
an overall decrease in other dental issues

As mentioned above, tongue-tie does not just affect children - symptoms in adults occur, too! These may include: neck & shoulder tension, headaches/migraines, sleep difficulties (snoring, grinding, sleep apnea, poor quality sleep, fatigue), trouble swallowing (including pills), speech difficulties (including needing speech therapy as a child), breathing issues, and gastrointestinal issues (reflux, constipation).

Proper Evaluation

Find a local expert who knows tongue ties - a CNM, IBCLC, pediatrician, oral myofascial or myofunctional therapist, SLP, ENT or dentist. You can also find the TABBY Tongue Assessment Tool as a guide to tongue tie severity.

References:

https://internationalbreastfeedingjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13006-019-0224-y

http://www.tonguetiecenterofbaltimore.com

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tongue-tie/symptoms-causes

Tongue Ties - What You Need To Know