In the past, pediatricians have not received training in breastfeeding or in tongue ties. When physicians have recognized tongue ties, the traditional response was to take a “wait and see” approach. This conservative approach was understandable because correcting a tongue tie was thought to require a hospital stay and general anesthesia which are both expensive and risky.
Today, however, correcting a tongue tie is virtually risk free requiring no hospital stay or general anesthesia. Tongue ties can be released using a laser in a dental office — a procedure that takes about 10 minutes. The use of a laser is not only safe, it also heals faster, with little or no bleeding, no risk of infection and requires no stitches. The restricting tissue is called a frenum. Releasing the restriction is called a frenectomy.
Most people have never even heard of a tongue tie. But with the resurgence in breastfeeding, the subject has been coming up more often. Why? Because tongue ties make breastfeeding difficult for both infant and mother. Tongue mobility is necessary for proper latching and swallowing.
Infants with restricted tongues have to work extra hard to get even small amounts of milk. They fall off the breast, fall asleep during nursing, need to be fed more frequently and are always hungry.
Infants with tongue ties frequently also have upper-lip ties which keep the upper lip from being able to flange outward to form a seal around the breast. This often leads to swallowing excess air causing painful gas and reflux.
Another symptom of infants with tongue ties is that their mothers experience painful breastfeeding. The baby bites because it can’t suck. Painful nursing plus frustrated and hungry infants is a recipe for unhappy moms who, unless a friend, doula or lactation consultant tells them about tongue ties, have no idea what to do.
More serious is the possibility that infants with tongue ties are more likely to die from SIDS. [Journal of Rare Disorders, 2016] The reason for this relationship may, or may not, be causal — research is still ongoing.
A simple frenectomy could now be the more conservative course of action. So, before you give up on breastfeeding and switch to bottle feeding, have your infant evaluated for tongue and/or lip tie.
Tongue ties, when overlooked, can cause problems later as babies grow. Milk trapped under a restricted lip can cause decay in the primary teeth. A restricted tongue can lead to a narrow palate that later requires a palate expander. It can also lead to speech problems and a lifetime of reflux.
After tongue tie release, adults frequently report feeling less neck pressure, fewer headaches, reduced or completely resolved reflux, and a cessation of snoring. With the help of a speech therapist, adults can often completely correct a speech problem after tongue release. Many report feeling as though they have had a back release by a chiropractor and reduced or resolved sleep apnea.
It may seem like a little thing, but a tongue tie can be a big problem. For a free consultation call 786-567-8274 or visit www.tonguetiesouthflorida.com to schedule an appointment.
Leslie Haller, DMD, is a Harvard-educated dentist located in South Florida. She is a general dentist who specializes in releasing tongue- and upper-lip ties using a CO2 laser. She is also a forensic odontologist associated with the Miami-Dade and West Palm Beach medical examiner’s departments. Her passion is advocating for education about how important it is to check for tongue ties in people of all ages, but especially infants. Her research interest is in tongue ties and the correlation between tongue ties and Sudden Unexpected and Unexplained Infant Death, popularly known as SIDS. She is a member of IATP (international Affiliation of Tonguetie Professionals), ICAP (International Consortium of Oral Ankylofrenula Professionals) and ATTE (Advocates for Tongue-Tie Education).
