It has been demonstrated in many controlled studies that releasing tongue-ties, whether classic near-the-tip anterior tongue-ties or posterior tongue-ties, improves breastfeeding outcomes, allows mothers to nurse more comfortably, and helps babies to suck more efficiently. Tongue-ties also lead to several of the main causes of breastfeeding cessation, including nipple pain, trouble latching, and concerns that the baby is not getting enough milk. These common tethers keep the tongue in a low position in utero, so the palate does not receive its natural resting pressure from the tongue, and instead of a broad, flat palate, the baby is born with a high arched or “bubble” palate which leaves less room for the base of the nose and less volume available for the nasal cavity. Ī baby with an anterior (near or at the tip) tongue-tie or a hidden (submucosal) posterior tongue-tie is often born with a high arched palate. All of those may develop when there is insufficient pressure from the tongue against the palate both in utero and during infancy. Upper airway resistance and poor nasal breathing can be caused by a smaller-than-normal nasal cavity, deviated septum, or high arched palate. Snoring is a red flag and signals that obstructive sleep apnea or sleep-disordered breathing is likely. Children and adults may be getting the right quantity of sleep at night, but many are not getting the quality of sleep that they need. As a result, people who mouth breathe at night often awaken unrefreshed. Mouth breathing prevents the brain from experiencing the deepest level of sleep. Tongue-ties and low tongue resting postures often lead to or exacerbate mouth breathing. If tongue-ties remain untreated, they can lead to structural and functional changes in the craniofacial-respiratory complex and can impact sleep throughout the lifespan. Finally, sleep is often impacted, beginning in infancy. Speech delays, articulation issues (trouble with R, L, S, SH, TH, and Z sounds in particular), and stuttering may arise as well. As babies advance to eating solids, tongueties can lead to gagging, refusing food, spitting out food, and picky eating. Infant problems arising from tongue-ties include painful and prolonged nursing episodes, poor stimulation of maternal milk production, reflux, slow weight gain, gassiness, and a host of other issues for mom and/or baby. For a tight piece of tissue to qualify as a tongue-tie, it must have a functional impact on nursing, speech, feeding, or sleep. The frequency with which anterior tongue-ties occur is estimated to range from 4-10% in the general population, and posterior tongue-ties have been reported in as many as 32.5% of infants in a recent study. They are often misdiagnosed or misunderstood, and they are quite common. Collectively, tongue-ties and lip-ties are referred to as tethered oral tissues. Download / Print this Article View on Dental Sleep PracticeĪ tongue-tie is a thick, tight, or short string of tissue under the tongue that restricts the tongue’s movement and causes a functional issue.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |