How do I know if my baby has a tongue tie after birth?

• Your baby shows difficulty in latching to your breast
• Your baby has difficulty staying attached to your breast for a full feed
• Your baby is feeding constantly and they seem to take over an hour
• Your baby is fussing excessively with gas
• Your baby seems hungry all the time
• Your baby is not gaining weight
• Your baby is making a clicking sound as they feed

Mothers with babies who have tongue ties can also experience painful and cracked nipples, low milk supply or even get mastitis (inflammation of the breast).

What is a tongue-tie and a lip-tie?

A tongue tie is a condition present at both where there are pieces of connective membranes under the tongue and behind the upper lip called frenula. Everyone has a lingual (tongue) frenulum and a labial (lip) frenulum, which means that if your baby has one, it doesn’t automatically mean that you are going to have breastfeeding challenges.

It is how the tongue and upper lip function that determine if the frenula are causing a problem. A tongue-tie restricts the tongue’s range of motion. It is a short band of tissue between the tip of the tongue and the floor of the mouth, which is present at birth.

How do tongue and lip-ties cause breastfeeding challenges?

When the frenula are tight, they are like rubber bands, tethering down the tongue to the base of the mouth or the upper lip close to the upper gum line. This makes it difficult to move the tongue in an effective manner of flanges the upper lip out. Babies then fall off the breast, as they are unable to form a good seal and suction, causing difficulty in latching which could result in baby refusing to breastfeed.

What are the implications of a tongue-tie and a lip-tie?

• Babies struggle to breast feed due to a shallow latch
• Reflux in babies
• Low milk supply in the mother
• A tied tongue may have difficulty in performing movements needed for dealing with solid food
• Affect tooth alignment
• A lip-tie makes teeth brushing painful which may cause cavities
• Tongue-tie restricts movement of the tongue that is needed to clean the outer surfaces of the teeth
• Speech problems and lisping

What is the treatment?

Tongue-ties can be treated by cutting the tie on the conventional manner via a pair of surgical scissors or scalpel. There are however more modern techniques whereby a laser is used, which is a more effective treatment plan as there is no bleeding, the healing time is quicker and the post operative pain is less.

What is Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer, or mouth cancer is a type of cancer that may occur on any of the soft tissues of the mouth. These tissues may include the tongue, lips, cheeks, gums, palate, floor of the mouth, the tonsils or even the salivary glands.

It is important to note that in the early stages of these cancers, patients do not experience any pain. This means that often patients do not seek help until the cancer is already in an advanced stage. Patients that are at higher risk of developing oral cancer are:

• Any tobacco use including smoking and use of snuff
• Regularly drinking a lot of alcohol
• Having a history of oral cancer
• Regular exposure to the sun
• Exposure to some viruses for example HPV ( This is an STD)
• Chewing betel quid

There are some signs that patients can look out for, these include:

• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• A lump in the mouth, throat or lips
• A white or red patch in the mouth
• A sore or ulcer that does not heal, or bleeds
• Pain or tenderness in the mouth

These signs are often missed by patients or noticed when the cancer is already advanced. It is therefore extremely important to see your dentist every 6 months for your routine check-up as well as a screening of the soft tissues in your mouth to ensure early diagnosis and a higher chance of the cancer being cured.

During screening by your dentist the following tissues will be examined thoroughly for any signs of abnormality:

• Your lips, both outside and inside
• Your gums
• Your tongue, from all sides and underneath
• The insides of your cheeks
• The roof of your mouth
• The back of your throat
• If you wear dentures, you’ll have to take them out so he can check the tissue beneath them.
• The dentist might put one finger in your mouth under your tongue and couple of fingers on the skin under your chin and move them around to feel the tissue between them.
• Your dentist might also feel underneath your jaw

This is a very simple and quick process that can save your life. Please make your appointment with your dentist today!