If you have a child that is growing and developing you want to know that they are reaching the milestones that are set for their age. This might be sleeping well through the night, rolling over, walking and even saying their first word. Nothing is scarier than when you realize that there is a problem and that you need to have some intervention to ensure that your child is able to reach these milestones. There are many things that can be an interference in the progress of your child. One of the things that you might come across is issues with your child’s gums, teeth, mouth and oral health. One of the things that you might have to deal with is called ankyloglossia which means tongue tied. This is an issue that does occur in children that need to be addressed by a pediatric dentist. Smile Reef outlines what you need to know about dealing with tongue tie.
What is Tongue Tie?
The interesting thing about being tongue tied is that it is a small ligament that is attached to the underside of the tongue. Everyone has this attachment but it should be held in a specific place. When you are tongue tied your attachment has reached too far towards the front of the tongue and made it so that you cannot have proper tongue movement.
Tongue Tie Symptoms
There are several symptoms that you can look for to determine if your child is tongue tied. Early on you may realize that your child is not able to latch on for feeding and this can cause trouble with weight gain. As they start to get older they can continue to have trouble trying to eat food correctly. The other issue that is most commonly the reason that a parent will realize that their child has an issue is when they try to start to talk. This can be a problem and can cause the child not to be able to form words correctly. Lastly you may notice that the child is not having a properly developing mouth and jaw. These are all signs that your child might have a tongue tie problem. The best thing you can do is to take them to a pediatric dentist to have them checked.
Ankyloglossia Diagnosis
You want to talk with your pediatric dentist about what might be the problem. They have a series of tests that they can check to see what the issue might be. They will see if your child has proper range of motion from side to side and up and down. They also want to see if they are able to stick out their tongue. Once they determine that they have an issue they can start to layout a treatment plan.
Tongue Tie Surgery & Treatment
The great thing is that this condition often resolves itself. If not, it can be treated with surgery.
Pediatric Dentistry
Smile Reef can help to walk you through your child’s dental work. Call us today to make your appointment.
