As your child grows, they’ll begin experiencing new things – and one significant development you’ll track during their first few months is their dietary habits. However, if they’re suffering from a tongue or lip tie, did you know that it might prevent them from easily eating solid foods when the time is right? Continue reading to learn more about tongue and lip ties and why seeking treatment for your child is the best way to ensure that when they move on to eating solid foods, they don’t experience any problems!
A Closer Look at Lip and Tongue Ties
Lip and tongue ties occur when the frenulum, which is the soft, connective tissue that connects the lips and gums to the tongue, is too short, too tight, too thick, or otherwise restricts proper movement. It’s estimated that around 10% of all newborns are affected by a lip or tongue tie. These issues are notorious for causing speech and dietary issues in infants, as well as young children or even adults when left unaddressed.
How These Issues Can Impact Your Child’s Diet
Tongue and lip ties are notorious for causing issues when children are breastfeeding, usually in the form of the child being unable to latch properly due to limited tongue or lip mobility. However, these difficulties do not stop once it’s time to transition to solid foods, usually around 6 months of age or so.
A tied tongue will likely have difficulty in performing all of the movements needed for dealing with solid foods. Your child might have a tough time performing lateral, or sideways, movements with their tongue, and protruding their tongue or lifting it up might also be difficult. In the instance of lip ties, the limited mobility can also affect your child’s ability to wrap their lips around food when taking a bite or sipping a drink. Habitual gagging, coughing, choking, or vomiting are frequently caused by inadequate tongue and lip mobility while eating.
How Lip and Tongue Ties are Treated
The go-to method for treating tongue and lip ties is a procedure known as a frenectomy. It’s a fairly simple process; it involves removing or releasing any excess tissue to free up the mobility of the tongue and lips. Once the tissue has been released, your child will experience immediate improvement in their tongue and mouth mobility, leading to an improved quality of life.
The bottom line is that while a tongue or lip tie might not always appear to be too serious, it can have lasting, long-term implications for your child’s ability to eat properly, speak clearly, and smile confidently – meaning seeking treatment is always going to be a wise option!
About the Author
Dr. Linda A. Steele completed her dental degree at the Baylor College of Dentistry, which is now known as the Texas A&M Health Science Center at Dallas School of Dentistry. She has over 30 years of experience when it comes to pediatric dentistry and is a proud member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Dental Association as well as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Her practice in Coppell offers a wide range of pediatric services, including lip and tongue tie treatment. If you have any questions about the blog, or you’d like to schedule an appointment for your child, please reach out online or call today for more information or assistance. Telephone: (972) 640-7432.