Does Tongue Tie Need Treatment?

Tongue tie or ankyloglossia in babies is a condition where the frenulum tissue is short or tight so that the tongue is not free to move. The frenulum is a tissue that forms a line in the middle of the bottom of the tongue that extends to the base of the mouth.

In some cases, this disorder can cause babies to have difficulty breastfeeding. However, this condition can actually heal on its own without requiring special treatment. To find out more, let's continue reading until the end.

What is Tongue Tie?

Tongue tie occurs when the frenulum is too short or extends towards the front of the tongue, causing the tongue to be unable to move freely. It is not known for sure what the cause is, but this disorder is genetic and is generally more common in boys than girls.

Normally, the tongue can move to the lower lip to the roof of the mouth. Unlike babies who experience tongue tie, tongue movement is limited because the frenulum pulls the middle of the tongue back. This is what makes it difficult for babies to breastfeed.

Babies who have difficulty breastfeeding usually make a clicking sound when sucking. In addition, breast milk often comes out of the corner of the mouth, and babies often stop sucking on the mother's nipple. Because the baby's tongue is not attached properly to the breast, the breastfeeding process becomes uncomfortable and sometimes painful.

As a result, breast milk is not drained completely during the breastfeeding process, which can cause blocked milk ducts. This condition can also reduce the frequency of breastfeeding, inhibit breast stimulation to produce more milk, and ultimately reduce the milk supply.

Tongue Tie Does Not Need Treatment

Some cases of tongue tie can heal on their own in the first 6 weeks of the baby's life without the need for treatment. This is because the frenulum will stretch and the structure of the mouth changes as it grows.

This disorder also generally does not cause problems that require special treatment. If the baby has difficulty breastfeeding because of this condition, the doctor will help correct the position of the tongue and its attachment first so that the baby is comfortable during the breastfeeding process. Furthermore, the mother can practice the position and attachment taught by the doctor.

If there are no other conditions that can inhibit the baby's growth and development, tongue tie will improve over time and the tongue will move as it should without serious treatment. 

Conditions That Require Follow-up

If correcting the tongue position does not make the baby breastfeed smoothly, then the doctor will perform a procedure called a frenotomy, or surgery to cut the baby's frenulum. This procedure is a quick minor surgery and can be performed when the baby is 1 month old since the baby was born.

The frenotomy surgery performed to correct this condition also has the risk of pain in the baby's mouth, so that it can make the baby reluctant to breastfeed for some time. However, in general this risk tends to be small and frenotomy is a safe procedure to perform.

What if this condition is left alone? Reporting from Kids Health, tongue tie that is left untreated may risk disrupting the process of giving solid food when the baby starts entering the MPASI phase later. In addition, this disorder can also slow down the development of speaking skills, as well as disrupt the cleanliness of the baby's mouth and teeth. Until now, experts are still researching whether the risk is significant enough in babies who experience tongue tie or not.

Now you know the importance of consulting a doctor to get the right treatment. While monitoring the development of the baby's condition, you can try to provide breast milk so that the baby continues to get nutrition.

Therefore, make sure the breast milk supply is sufficient so that the baby's needs are met properly. If breast milk production is low because the baby rarely breastfeeds, mothers can try various ways at home to increase the amount of production. For more information, read here: How to Increase Breast Milk.

References:

Kids Health. Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia). Accessed on July 25, 2024. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tongue-tie.html

Baby Center. Newborn Tongue-Tie. Accessed on July 25, 2024. https://www.babycenter.com/health/conditions/tongue-tie_3651248

Cleveland Clinic. Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia). Accessed on July 25, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17931-tongue-tie-ankyloglossia