Does My Child Need to Get Their Tongue Tie Fix?

Between 4% and 8% of babies are born with a tongue tie. This is a congenital condition that occurs when the tissue (frenulum) that connects the base of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too short or too thick. 

But, how much trouble can a small piece of tissue cause? 

Here's what could happen if you don't fix your child's tongue tie. 

How Tongue Ties Can Impact Infants

A tongue tie may affect your baby's ability to latch onto your breast, which can cause a chain of events: 

• Because your baby is not latching properly, they are not drinking enough milk and not gaining weight. 
• Breastfeeding works on a demand and supply model: the more a baby nurses, the more milk you will produce. If they can't latch, this will affect your supply. 
• Because the baby is not getting enough food, they are fussy and moody all the time. 
• Because they can't latch and swallow a lot of air, they may be very gassy and uncomfortable after every feeding. 
• An improper latch will make your nipples very sore, making breastfeeding even more difficult. 

How Tongue Ties Can Impact Children

A short and thick frenulum will limit the tongue's range of motion. This can affect a child in various ways throughout their life. The problems a tongue tie can create won't stop once your child stops breastfeeding. In the case of older children, tongue ties can: 

• Interfere with the weaning process since a short frenulum makes it more difficult for your child to chew and swallow their food. 
• Because they're having a harder time handling solid food, gagging, choking, and food aversions are more persistent.
• The tongue plays a vital role in speech development. Since your child doesn't have the same range of motion as a kid without a tongue utile, they may have trouble pronouncing certain sounds correctly. This may affect their confidence as they sound different than other kids. 

How Tongue Ties Can Impact Teens

In addition to speech impediments, the position of the tongue in the mouth can also lead to lower jaw protrusion over time. Your teen may also deal with jaw pain, clicking sounds when opening their mouth, and a higher predisposition to gum disease. 

How Is a Tongue Tie Fixed? 

The good news is that a tongue tie can be easily fixed by making a small cut to the frenulum. The treatment is called frenectomy and can be done by a pediatric dentist. 

How Sprouting Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Can Help

Frenectomies only last about a minute and your baby will recover immediately. That's why Dr. Wendy recommends getting them done sooner rather than later. 

If you suspect that your little one has a tongue tie, get in touch with Sprouting Smiles Pediatric Dentistry and schedule your visit now. 

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