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Tongue Tie treatment in Airdrie

Everything About Tongue Ties You Need To Know

What is Tongue Tie?

Tongue tie, in scientific terms, is known as ankyloglossia. It is a condition in which the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth near its tip. As a result, people who have ankyloglossia have difficulties moving their tongue in free motion and consequently suffer from eating disorders, speech difficulties, and more.

Why Does Tongue Tie Occur? 

Tongue tie occurs due to the lingual frenulum not detaching itself from the tongue. Generally, the lingual frenulum detaches itself from the tongue before birth. Ankyloglossia occurs when the lingual frenulum has remained attached. Over time these tissues will grow stronger in order to keep the tongue tethered. Why exactly in some cases the lingual frenulum is unable to detach itself is still not fully known.

When to See a Dentist

You should see a dentist to treat tongue tie if you can spot the following symptoms in your child:

  1. Difficulties in breastfeeding
  2. Difficulties in speaking
  3. Difficulties in sticking the tongue out
  4. Difficulties in moving the tongue
  5. A notched tongue shape when stuck out.

Who’s at Risk? 

You may want to think that tongue tie could affect anybody and that it’s unpredictable. However, that might not be the case after all. According to an article published by Mayo Clinic,

“Although ankyloglossia can affect anyone, it’s more common in boys than girls. Tongue-tie sometimes runs in families.”

This is just an observed fact and the science behind it remains to be explained.

How Common Is It? 

Tongue ties are a more common occurrence than you think. More than 3 million cases each year are reported for tongue tie in the US alone. This makes the occurrence a highly common one.

Should you be Worried? 

There’s a ton of reasons to be worried about if you think your child has tongue tie. Firstly, it can affect their speech and if untreated, this could affect the way they speak for the rest of their life. Due to troubles in feeding them, they might even be lacking the essential nutrients required for growth and development. Furthermore, as they grow older, it is likely to impact their social life.

How Easy is the Treatment?

Thankfully, the treatment usually requires a simple surgical procedure, from which the kid can heal in about a week or two. Home care after this procedure is very important and parents need to be committed to your Dentists plan. It is important to find an ideal kid-friendly dentist to ensure that your kid feels comfortable throughout the treatment since a trauma could develop dental anxieties in the future.

To help you with that, you can find the best kid-friendly dentist near you in Airdrie AB by simply clicking here.