Tongue-tied is an expression that is often used in the English language to mean the feeling of being unable to say anything, often due to anxiety or shyness. In reality, tongue tie is a medical condition that is present in babies from birth that restricts the tongue’s movement.
What is Tongue Tie?
At birth, All babies have a fold of skin, known as frenulum, under their tongue that attaches the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, restricting free movement of the tongue. The floor of the front of the tongue and the floor of the mouth gradually grow apart, as the baby develops. Ankyloglossia, commonly referred to as tongue tie, is a congenital condition in which the frenulum may be too short or tight. It continues to extend from the front of the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth even as the baby develops. This condition causes the tip of the tongue to be tied to the floor of the mouth, limiting the functions of the tongue.
Signs and Symptoms of Tongue Tie in Children
The causes for some children developing tongue tie is still uncertain. Pediatricians or pediatric dentists can diagnose tongue tie soon after the baby’s birth, if the baby shows limited tongue function in addition to a restrictive frenulum.
Diagnosing Tongue Tie In Babies
To arrive at an accurate diagnosis, the pediatrician or pediatric dentist will consult with the breastfeeding mother and enquire about the baby’s breastfeeding history, any discomfort experienced by the mother during breastfeeding, and the baby’s medical history, before giving the baby a physical examination.
Signs in Older Children
Older children who have started communicating by speech usually exhibit more signs of tongue tie than the babies.
- Clarity of speech may be impacted while speaking certain words or syllables like ‘d’, ‘l’, ‘t’, or ‘th’
- Experience trouble while licking their lips or food, and are not able to stick their tongue out of the mouth
- Suffer cuts on the underside of the tongue when the frenulum comes into contact with the lower front teeth
- Have tooth decay as food that gets to the teeth or the roof of the mouth cannot be cleared with the tongue
Tongue Tie Impacting Breastfeeding In Newborn Babies
In order to breastfeed effectively, babies suckle by getting the tongue to the roof of the mouth to squeeze the nipple and express milk. Tongues of babies with tongue tie have limited range of motion, due to which they are unable to create a good seal while latching on and swallowing breast milk.
Tongue Tie Laser Procedure
All people with tongue tie do not require treatment. In cases where treatment is recommended, frenectomy is a quick, low-risk, and minimally invasive tongue tie laser procedure. During the procedure, a laser is used to cut the frenulum. It is the recommended procedure for children under the age of 12 months as it can be performed without the need for sedation. Babies as small as 1 month old can undergo the procedure safely. However, it is also performed on older children. Pediatric dentists recommend that the procedure be performed before the child reaches 3-4 years of age. This is because development happens rapidly in children and by the age of 3-4 years, the tongue tie could already have adversely affected their jaw movement and growth. Also, children learn to speak fluently by this age and it may be more difficult to correct speech issues once they have been established.
Benefits of Laser Treatment for Tongue Tie in Children
Tongue tie can leave children vulnerable to serious oral and orthodontic issues like abnormal jaw positioning or poor teeth alignment in addition to issues with speech and chewing. The most attractive benefit of tongue tie laser procedure is that it is highly effective while being minimally invasive and causing very little bleeding as the laser seals blood vessels as it cuts. Some other benefits of the laser procedure include
- Quick and relatively painless process
- Eliminates the need for an anaesthetic
- Shorter recovery time
- Reduced risk of infection
- High rate of success
Is Tongue Tie Laser Procedure Safe for Children?
Compared to traditional frenectomy procedures, the tongue tie laser procedure is a more safe alternative especially for children. This is because the procedure is minimally invasive as the laser makes very small snips or cuts and causes less bleeding. The laser frenectomy also has a faster healing time, which is an important consideration especially in the case of babies under the age of 12 months. Children are also prone to more infections. By opting for the laser procedure, the risk of infection is vastly reduced since there is no use of a surgical knife.
Aftercare Following the Laser Procedure
Recovery time after a tongue tie laser procedure is relatively short, with the baby being able to breastfeed almost immediately after the surgery. In fact, it is recommended that the baby be provided frequent feeds for the next few days as the breast milk and saliva will aid the healing process and soothe the area. The skin to skin contact during breastfeeding also acts as a pain relief for the baby.
White or yellow skin may be visible at the surgical site for a few days after the procedure until the surgical wound starts to heal and narrow down. The discoloration is not a sign of pus but is a normal aftereffect of the procedure. If the wound looks red and irritated, forms a scar tissue, or feels like there is an infection, it is important to consult the pediatric dentist immediately.
Stretching Exercises
After the tongue tie laser procedure, the patient will be directed to do a few stretching exercises, including touching the roof of the mouth with the tongue, to prevent the tongue tie from reforming and to help the patient learn how to use their tongue for various movements. Children and adults can perform the exercises on their own but the parent will need to do the exercise for the babies by inserting a finger gently into the baby’s mouth.
Dr. Kammath’s Pediatric Dental Care
At Dr. Kammath’s Pediatric Dental Care, we perform tongue tie laser procedure for children as young as six months of age. From after the initial pediatric diagnosis, assessing the need for the surgery, to the period of recovery, our patients and parents are provided with accurate information and guidance about the procedure and aftercare needed for the child. We also conduct follow up sessions to ensure that things are progressing as planned and implement changes to the plan quickly in case there are any unexpected issues.
