Before the baby arrived, you planned on breastfeeding, but now that they’re here, you’re finding it more difficult than you thought it would be. Don’t give up on this bonding experience! Through your other mommy friends, you hear about their babies’ problems, including a lip or tongue tie. But how do you know that your baby has one? Here are three ways to tell!
Trouble with Breastfeeding
Unfortunately, nursing doesn’t always come naturally or easily. That’s why many hospitals provide lactation consultants to new moms. Needless to say, there are many reasons behind breastfeeding struggles, but if you’ve followed instructions and eliminated many other possibilities, you should consider that a tongue tie could be responsible.
Often, tongue-tie-related problems with nursing include the following:
- Trouble latching onto the nipple
- Biting or gumming the nipple
- Clicking noise while suckling
- Poor weight gain
If you bottle feed, your baby may have trouble later on with solid foods or with speech impediments as a result of a lip or tongue tie.
Blockage Under the Tongue or Lip
In many instances, a lip or tongue tie is actually quite easy to see, once you know where to look and what to look for. You can test whether your child has a restrictive tie on your own. Lay the baby in your lap facing you. To check for a lip tie, gently lift and fold their upper lip upward. If you meet some resistance or see that the tissue connecting their lip is thick, it likely needs treatment.
For the tongue, you simply need to slide your finger under their tongue from one side of their mouth to the other. Without a tongue tie, you should be able to do this without getting blocked, but a tongue tie can prevent you.
Diagnosis from Your Pediatric Dentist
As the most reliable and effective way to know whether your child has a lip or tongue tie, having your baby examined by your pediatric dentist allows you to get an official diagnosis. Many specialists offer treatment that releases the lip or tongue and enables your baby to enjoy better oral function.
The procedure entails using a soft tissue laser to cut and cauterize the tissue, giving your baby more flexibility and mobility. This process only takes a few minutes and often involves very little pain or bleeding. And what’s more, they can breastfeed immediately afterward and improve right away.
Ultimately, if a lip or tongue tie is holding your baby back, you need to address it so that you both can benefit from nursing. If you think your little one has this issue, contact your pediatric dentist today for an appointment!
About the Practice
At Sprout Dentistry for Kids of McKinney, both of our board-certified pediatric dentists have passion and expertise necessary to provide the highest quality of care for children. Dr. Justin Chan and Dr. Sage Yoo are active members in professional organizations like the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Greater Dallas Pediatric Dental Society, and more. Would you like to schedule a consultation to see if your baby has a lip or tongue tie? Contact our office by calling 469-813-7127 or visiting our Contact Us page.