At playdates with other parents and babies, you hear a lot of chatter about various issues some families face. You may have heard quite a bit about lip or tongue-ties, and it may seem as if these issues have become more common than in the past! While more awareness can increase diagnosis and treatment, lip and tongue-ties have been around for hundreds if not thousands of years. Keep reading to learn more about this problem and how treatment can resolve it for new parents and their babies.
What Is a Lip or Tongue-Tie?
A lip or tongue-tie is clinically called a labial or lingual frenulum respectively, which is a thick or restrictive piece of tissue that didn’t dissipate in utero. A frenulum develops underneath the upper lip and just under the tongue, connecting it to the floor of the mouth.
At first glance, this tiny tissue may seem insignificant and harmless, but especially for new mothers and their newborns, it can greatly affect everyday life. When nursing, a baby’s tongue needs to rise and surround the nipple completely to suck breastmilk. Without this capability, the baby tends to bite down on the nipple causing mom pain and not get enough nourishment to thrive.
Why Do Lip and Tongue-Ties Feel More Common These Days?
Records of treating lip and tongue-ties date back to the 1600s, which means it has likely always been an issue. In the second half of the 1900s, Western society encouraged women and mothers to bottle feed their infants formula, assuming that formula could be fabricated to contain all necessary nutrients. Unfortunately, bottle feeding makes identifying lip and tongue-ties more difficult.
However, in recent decades, breastfeeding has reclaimed its place as the most recommended way to feed newborns and babies to help with growth, development, and connection to their mother. As a result, the negative symptoms of lip and tongue-ties have reappeared and drawn more attention to these issues.
How Is Lip or Tongue-Tie Treatment Performed?
This procedure, called a frenectomy, is rather simple. While this procedure has been around for hundreds of years, pediatric dentists now perform it in a way that significantly reduces discomfort for your newborn. Before beginning, a topical, local anesthetic will be placed under your baby’s upper lip or under their tongue, which will numb the entire area. With surgical tools, they will sever the excessive tissue restricting the infant’s tongue or upper lip. In total, the procedure takes under 15 minutes, but it can have life-long impacts on your child’s oral function and quality of life.
Although you may notice a surge in lip and tongue-tie diagnoses and treatment, it isn’t a new or trendy issue. If you are experiencing nursing pain and your baby is failing to thrive or struggling to breastfeed, know that the problem is common and can easily be addressed with a frenectomy.
About the Practice
Wash Park Pediatric Dentistry welcomes young patients from birth all the way through age 18 and their caretakers. For lip and tongue-ties, Dr. Patrick Bowman and Dr. Kathleen Waguespack, both board-certified pediatric dentists, are uniquely trained and experienced in frenectomies and working with babies and children. Our office is also designed to be relaxing and fun for little ones. To schedule a consultation about lip and tongue-ties, call our Denver office at 720-647-6310 or contact us online here.