Every developing fetus has a small piece of tissue that connects its tongue to the bottom of its mouth. That piece of tissue is called the lingual frenulum. In the vast majority of cases, that lingual frenulum detaches all on its own before the baby is born. In a small minority of cases, though — roughly four to 11% of births and more boys than girls — the baby is born with an intact lingual frenulum. It’s a condition called ankyloglossia or “tongue tie.”
What are the symptoms of tongue tie?
There are three common symptoms of tongue tie:
- Your child has problems moving her tongue up and down or side to side
- Your child has problems sticking their tongue completely out of her mouth
- Your tongue takes on a notched appearance when your child does try to stick it out of her mouth
Aside from those three indications of tongue tie, parents frequently notice potential tongue tie when their child has difficulty breastfeeding because of an inability to latch on to the mother’s breast, and problems eating and pronouncing certain sounds when trying to speak. If you notice any of these physical indications of tongue tie or developmental challenges, you should contact the specialists at a pediatric tongue tie center in Tampa for advice.
Is tongue tie serious?
Generally speaking, tongue tie is not a serious medical issue except to the extent it interferes with your child’s natural and healthy development. If you do notice your child has an intact lingual frenulum and are concerned about the impacts on your child’s health, contact the experts at a tongue tie centre in Tampa. They’ll assess your child’s situation thoroughly and provide advice about the potential long-term consequences for your child, and whether treatment is appropriate. Those potential long-term consequences of tongue tie include:
- Oral health problems because reduced tongue range of motion makes it harder for a child to keep her tongue and gums clean, raising the risk of tooth decay and gum disease
- Breastfeeding problems because reduced tongue range of motion makes it harder for an infant to latch onto her mother’s breast to feed properly, which denies the infant necessary nutrition and exposes the mother to pain and exhaustion
- Speech development problems because reduced range of tongue motion makes pronouncing certain sounds — especially “th” and “r” sounds — harder which impairs a child’s ability to communicate naturally
- Lifestyle limitations that come with a persistent tongue tie may seem minor, but cumulatively can affect a child’s well-being and enjoyment of life. They include, in addition to problems speaking clearly, problems playing musical instruments and even eating specific foods and meals.
What can be done about tongue tie?
If the professionals at a tongue tie center near you indicate the risk of long-term negative consequences of your child’s tongue tie, what can be done?
Tongue tie can be treated almost immediately through a simple and painless surgical procedure called a frenectomy. During a frenectomy, the caring and compassionate staff at a tongue tie center near you simply snip the tissue “tying” your tongue to grant it complete range of motion. A frenectomy is achieved almost instantly using a laser or tiny scalpel without your infant experiencing any pain or discomfort. Recovery is nearly instantaneous and almost invariably accomplished without complications.
While any procedure involving your infant can be stressful, the caring and compassionate staff at the children tongue tie center in Tampa understand that anxiety and just how to make you and your child as comfortable as possible during the entire process.