Tongue tie, also known as ankyloglossia, occurs when the thin band (lingual frenulum) connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth is abnormally short or tight. This can limit the tongue’s range of motion, impairing tasks like speech, feeding, and oral hygiene.
According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “tongue tie is common, affecting nearly 5 percent of all newborns. It is three times more common among boys than girls and frequently runs in families.” The frenulum is a little string that keeps the tongue in place. It keeps the tongue steady, allowing it to perform tasks such as speech and eating. The purpose of this article is to provide a basic explanation of tongue tie, including its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments.
Causes and Development
The primary cause of tongue tie is prenatal development. Before a kid is born, its body develops within the mother’s womb. During this time, various bodily parts, including the tongue and the tissue under it (the frenulum), grow.
During this phase, the frenulum may not develop as expected. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including heredity and unknown causes. When this happens, the infant may be born with tongue tie, a condition in which the frenulum is overly tight or short, influencing how the tongue moves.
Symptoms in Infants
- Breastfeeding difficulties: They may have issues sucking or latching onto the breast, which could prevent them from gaining enough weight.
- Clicking sounds made while feeding: Babies may not be able to create clicking sounds during eating due to limited tongue movement.
- Fussiness and frustration: Because of the difficulty of eating, they may get agitated or grumpy.
- Milk leaking from mouth: During feeding, they may leak milk because they have trouble latching on.
Symptoms in Older Children
- Speech difficulties: Children may experience difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, such as “th,” “l,” or “r.”
- Toughness sticking out tongue: They may find it difficult to stick out their tongue since it does not move easily.
- Eating difficulties: They may find it difficult to chew their food or to eat specific foods given that their tongue doesn’t move correctly.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Tongue tie is often identified after a visual examination by a pediatrician or dentist. This assessment entails looking at the appearance of the frenulum and analyzing the tongue’s range of motion. In some cases, especially in babies, the examination may entail observing tongue movement during eating to determine any issues with latching or milk transfer.
However, not all occurrences of tongue tying require treatment because some people do not have substantial symptoms or functional restrictions. However, when treatment is required, treatment alternatives include:
- Frenotomy: It is a simple operation that involves clipping or cutting the tight part under the tongue to allow it to move more freely.
- Speech treatment: If tongue tie has caused difficulty speaking, speech treatment may be prescribed. This therapy focuses on exercises and strategies that increase tongue mobility, muscle strength, and coordination, allowing for the formation of clear speech sounds.
Summary
Tongue tie, also known as ankyloglossia, occurs when the thin band (lingual frenulum) connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth is abnormally short or tight. This can limit the tongue’s range of motion, impairing tasks like speech, feeding, and oral hygiene.
The primary cause of tongue tie is prenatal development. During this phase, the frenulum may not develop as expected. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including heredity and unknown causes. Breastfeeding difficulties, clicking sounds made while feeding, milk leaking from the mouth, fussiness and frustration, are some of the symptoms of tongue tie. Treatment options include frenotomy and speech therapy.
