Tongue tie , also known in medicine as ankyloglossia, is a condition that restricts and limits tongue movements in some babies from birth. While it is most common in newborn babies and young children, it can also occur in adults. The source of this problem is a condition known as lingual frenulum, where the base of the tongue and mouth are shorter than normal. In some babies and children, it does not cause any problems, while in others it can cause problems with sucking, speech and feeding.
The tongue is an organ that needs to be able to reach everywhere in the mouth in order to function normally. However, people with tongue tie have restricted movement of the tongue. When it causes serious problems in the person's nutrition or speech, it can be treated with a simple surgical operation.
What are the Symptoms of Tongue Tie?
Symptoms of tongue tie can range from mild to severe. The main problem in infants and young children is related to sucking. Most of the time, the symptoms of this condition are mild enough not to affect daily life.
Symptoms observed in newborn babies are as follows:
- Difficulty grasping while breastfeeding
- Prolonged breastfeeding
- Constant hunger
- Problem with weight gain
In addition to these symptoms observed in infants, some symptoms are observed in mothers:
- Pain during breastfeeding
- Cracked nipples
- Inflammation of breast tissue
- Insufficient milk quantity
There are a number of signs and symptoms of this problem, which can also occur in young children. These are
- Difficulty speaking sounds that require the child's tongue to touch the palate or upper front teeth. This does not affect the number of words children have or say, only their pronunciation
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty moving the tongue in the mouth towards the palate or from side to side
- Difficulty eating and licking products such as ice cream
- Difficulty playing a wind instrument
- Problems with tongue sticking out and up
Why does tongue tie occur?
Tongue-tie is a congenital condition. During prenatal fetal development, the tongue and the floor of the mouth fuse together. Over time, the tongue separates from the floor of the mouth. Eventually, only a thin band of tissue (lingual frenulum) connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
As the baby grows, the small band of tissue under the tongue becomes smaller and thinner. In children with ankyloglossia, the band of tissue remains thick, making it difficult to move the tongue.
Diagnosis of Tongue Tie
Tongue tie can be diagnosed with a simple physical examination and medical history. Doctors usually ask questions about feeding and then examine the baby's oral structure.
In childhood, language functionality is assessed by asking people to say certain consonants and syllables. In infants, it is usually diagnosed by a pediatrician or lactation consultant. Dentists usually diagnose tongue tie in older children and adults.
Tongue Tie Treatment
In some cases, it is not severe enough to cause obvious symptoms. However, infants and young children who do not have problems with feeding, speaking or swallowing may not need treatment. In such cases, patient follow-up is considered sufficient.
However, surgical intervention may be required in cases that adversely affect nutrition and other vital functions. Tongue tie surgery causes minimal discomfort for babies. Young children and adults may be given pain medication or general anesthesia before surgery.
As with any surgical procedure, the tongue tie procedure carries a number of risks of complications, including
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Scarring
- Injury to the salivary ducts in the mouth