Is Tongue Tie Affecting Your Health? Understanding the Link Between Tongue Tie and Overall Wellbeing

Tongue-tie, also known as ankyloglossia, is a condition where the frenulum, a small piece of tissue under the tongue, is restricted. This can limit tongue movement and cause a surprising number of health issues. While often diagnosed in infants due to breastfeeding difficulties, tongue-tie can impact people of all ages.

What challenges does tongue tie pose?

Breastfeeding: A tongue-tie can make it difficult for babies to latch properly, leading to frustration for both mother and child. It can also affect milk intake and growth. Missing out on this much needed form of feeding, intended by mother nature, can affect your child's cranial-facial development.

Speech Development: Restricted tongue movement can hinder a child's ability to make certain sounds, potentially causing speech delays. Even undiagnosed tongue-tie in childhood can manifest as speech problems in adults, like lisps or difficulty pronouncing certain consonants.

Sleep Apnea: A restricted tongue can contribute to a narrowed airway, increasing the risk of sleep apnea and its associated health problems like fatigue and daytime sleepiness. This may first present as snoring, noisey breathing when sleeping or wakening feeling unrefreshed.

Dental Problems: Similar to children, adults with tongue-tie may struggle to maintain proper oral hygiene, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. They also experience teeth grinding, mouth breathing and lip apart posture. These all can lead to needing orthodontic appliances, long faces and a multitude of dental health problems as they go through life.

TMJ Issues: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jaw to your skull. Limited tongue movement can put strain on this joint, causing pain, migrianes and head/neck tension. This strain can manifest as bruxism or teeth grinding which can lead to excessive/accelerated wear of the teeth and tooth surface loss at the necks of the teeth and also gum recession.

Tongue-tie is a treatable condition. Myofunctional therapy can help improve your tongue function and you may need to do a procedure to help with your tongue restriction.

If you suspect you or your child may have a tongue-tie, consult your dental professionals, ENT doctor or lactation consultant for an evaluation. Early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve overall health and well-being.