The link between the front of the tongue and the floor of the mouth usually disappears as the infant grows. The tongue’s back remains connected.
The frenulum can be overly short or too tight at times. It might cling to the front of the tongue and bind the tip of the tongue to the mouth’s floor.
Tongue ties can be modest, with only a little fold of tissue keeping the tip of the tongue in place, or severe, with the entire bottom of the tongue connected to the mouth floor. An anterior tongue tie is what it’s called. There can also be posterior tongue ties, which occur when the tongue’s motility is restricted by a thick, tight frenulum towards the base.
What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Tongue Tie?
The severity of tongue tie issues varies based on the age of the child. That’s why it’s crucial to understand the warning signals so you can get medical help from pediatric doctors before things become worse.
- Trouble Breastfeeding
You’ll notice one of the earliest indicators that your child needs a frenectomy when they’re still a baby. A tongue tie could be the cause of your baby’s difficulty breastfeeding. When a baby’s lips can’t move in a complete range of motion, latching onto the breast might be problematic. They may be unable to latch or latch only partially. Your infant may also feed for longer periods at a time and still be hungry, lose weight, or have other health problems or develop jaundice or colic.
When their infant suffers with nursing, mothers will feel their own symptoms. Breastfeeding can be uncomfortable and damaging to the nipples if the infant has a tongue tie. Nipples may compress and deform into wedge forms. Engorgement, blocked ducts, and mastitis can occur if a baby is breastfed with a tongue tie. In addition to weariness, irritation, and discouragement, mothers may face an oversupply or undersupply of milk.
Please have your child examined by a pediatric doctor for a tongue tie if you observe any of these symptoms. They may be able to breastfeed without difficulty with the aid of treatment.
- Mouth breathing
When a kid has a tongue tie that is not corrected, the tongue sits lower in the mouth and does not make the essential contact with the roof of the mouth when swallowing. This can cause a high, narrow palate, limiting the area available for nasal breathing. It also causes the mouth to stay open. As a result, instead of breathing through their nostrils, youngsters will breathe through their lips. This can lead to obstructive sleep apnea, a significant health problem that can last well into adulthood.
You may observe snoring at night in addition to observing your child breathe through their mouth during the day. Snoring or mouth breathing are strong symptoms of an underlying issue that must be addressed.
- The Space Between the Front Two Teeth
The location of teeth might be affected if the top frenulum is overly tight. The frenulum extends to the gum tissue’s border, potentially creating a space between the two front teeth. The teeth may naturally press together in some circumstances, but in others, the frenulum may need to be removed and braces may be necessary to close the gap. Your child’s gapped teeth may be adorable, but they might also indicate a tongue tie.
- Difficulty Eating
Not just during breastfeeding, but also during adolescence and until the tongue tie is cured, a tongue tie can make swallowing even more difficult. This is because the tongue cannot rest in the proper position to swallow without a full range of mobility. Try to swallow without your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Swallowing with a tongue tie feels like that.
- Gum Recession
Gum recession can also be caused by tongue ties. This is because the frenulum links to the gum tissue’s border. It can tug on the gum tissue and cause the gums to recede if it’s too tight.
- Speech Barriers
A speech problem is the last clue that your kid may require a frenectomy. A tongue tie stops the tongue from moving in its entire range of motion, making it more difficult to pronounce particular consonants.
If your child has a lisp or other abnormal speech patterns, we strongly advise you to schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric dentists at My Pedia Clinic.
