What Is A Tongue Tie?
Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. If it is not corrected as an infant, a person can grow to childhood and even adulthood without having it addressed.
A tongue-tie is an unusually short, thick or tight band of tissue (lingual frenulum) tethers the bottom of the tongue’s tip to the floor of the mouth. So for example, someone who has tongue-tie might have difficulty sticking out his or her tongue. Tongue-tie can also affect the way a child or adult eats, speaks and swallows.
Sometimes tongue-tie may not cause problems. Some cases may require a simple surgical procedure for correction.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of tongue-tie include:
- Difficulty lifting the tongue to the upper teeth or moving the tongue from side to side
- Trouble sticking out the tongue past the lower front teeth
- A tongue that appears notched or heart shaped when stuck out
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if:
- A speech-language pathologist thinks your child’s speech is affected by tongue-tie
- Your older child complains of tongue problems that interfere with eating, speaking or reaching the back teeth
- You’re bothered by your own symptoms of tongue-tie
Causes
Typically, the lingual frenulum separates before birth, allowing the tongue free range of motion. With tongue-tie, the lingual frenulum remains attached to the bottom of the tongue. Why this happens is unknown, although some cases of tongue-tie have been associated with certain genetic factors.
Risk factors
Although tongue-tie can affect anyone, it’s more common in boys than girls. Tongue-tie sometimes runs in families.
Complications
Tongue-tie can affect a child’s oral development, as well as the way he or she eats, speaks and swallows.
For example, tongue-tie can lead to:
- Speech difficulties. Tongue-tie can interfere with the ability to make certain sounds — such as “t,” “d,” “z,” “s,” “th,” “r” and “l.”
- Poor oral hygiene. For an older child or adult, tongue-tie can make it difficult to sweep food debris from the teeth. This can contribute to tooth decay and inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). Tongue-tie can also lead to the formation of a gap or space between the two bottom front teeth.
- Challenges with other oral activities. Tongue-tie can interfere with activities such as licking an ice cream cone, licking the lips, kissing or playing a wind instrument.
