The shift to eating solid foods is a pretty big step for children, and if your little one is about to reach this milestone, you’re probably pretty excited to see them begin expanding their palate and trying out all sorts of new foods! But this transition isn’t always easy, and sometimes complications such as lip and tongue ties can present themselves and cause a lot of trouble and frustration for your child when it comes to eating. Here’s a closer look at these issues and their impact on feeding, along with why it’s always worth resolving the issue.
A Closer Look at Lip and Tongue Ties
Lip and tongue ties occur when the frenulum, which is the soft piece of connective tissue linking the tongue to the lower jaw, is restricting normal oral functionality. And believe it or not, this condition occurs in around 5% of all children, making it fairly common! That said, it can cause a variety of complications, including speech impediment and impacted dental development. But most notably, it can affect the ability of children to bite and chew their food.
How Lip and Tongue Ties Affect the Ability to Eat
Lip and tongue ties can cause children to encounter difficulties with breastfeeding due to their limited tongue movement. For instance, they might be unable to maintain a proper latch during nursing sessions. This sometimes causes parents to shift too quickly to bottle-feeding, which means the issue remains unresolved as the child nears the transition to solid foods. Since these foods rely on the teeth and tongue working in unison to be chewed and swallowed, your child won’t be able to move their tongue as normal. This leaves larger pieces of food in the mouth, which isn’t just a choking hazard—it can also cause indigestion and malnutrition, among other issues.
Identifying the Issue
Your dentist will be able to identify any type of issue with your child’s frenulum upon a close inspection; however, there are a few signs you can watch for to provide you with a hint:
- Your child is refusing all foods or will only eat foods with a certain texture.
- Your child is a messy eater or will throw non-preferred items until preferred ones are served.
- Food is stored in their cheeks and then more food is eaten.
How Addressing the Issue Can Help
You’ll be happy to hear that tongue and lip ties can easily be treated once they’ve been identified, and by doing so, you can drastically improve your little one’s ability to eat solid foods and limit their issues with oral functionality. A frenectomy is the go-to method for this—your dentist can use a special laser tool to quickly and gently remove excess oral tissue and reshape the frenulum as needed. This process is quick and comfortable and has an immediate positive impact on oral functionality, meaning that your child will be able to happily and easily eat all of their favorite foods and discover several new ones!
About the Practice
The team at Texas Dentistry is excited to provide patients and families in the Terrell, TX community with an exceptional level of dental care. Under the skilled leadership of Dr. Anne Lindley, Dr. Thanh Tran, and Dr. Victoria DeLeon, the practice is proud to offer a wide range of services including lip and tongue tie treatment. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to schedule a visit for you or your little one, feel free to contact the practice online or by telephone for further information or assistance. Telephone: (972) 563-9444.