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In This Section: Implications of Ankyloglossia by Trisha E. O’Hehir, RDH, MS Hygienetown Editorial Director

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Check for Ankyloglossia

by Trisha E. O’Hehir, RDH, MS Hygienetown Editorial Director

Ankyloglossia, otherwise known as tongue-tie, is something studied in school but not often addressed in clinical practice or continuing education courses. In many cases, it’s overlooked during an oral exam. The thinking may be that if a child or adult has a tongue-tie and they made it past infancy, it must not be a problem. If they can chew, swallow and speak, they must be OK and the tongue-tie is not a problem. Not so.

The tongue is meant to move freely. It controls food as it is chewed, gathers food onto itself for swallowing, swallows with a rolling motion against the palate, forms words for speaking, is very helpful when eating an ice cream cone and is often used during kissing. With each swallow, the tongue exerts gentle force against the palate, stimulating growth. To understand the tongue-tie experience, place the tip of your tongue against the lingual of the lower anterior teeth and try to speak. Now try to swallow without allowing the back of your tongue to contact the palate. Tough, isn’t it?

From birth, proper tongue function is necessary to latch onto the breast for nursing. As the child grows, ankyloglossia can lead to mouth breathing, snoring, chewing with the mouth open and skeletal changes. Infants should be checked at birth for ankyloglossia and treated immediately to allow for proper breastfeeding.

Many cases of ankyloglossia are not noticed at birth and overlooked at routine dental visits, leading to a cascade of problems. Pediatric dentists will be called to see newborns with ankyloglossia, but patients in a general practice should also be checked. Some of the signs associated with ankyloglossia past infancy include mouth breathing, crowded teeth, narrow palate, chewing with the mouth open, speech problems and snoring. Check for ankyloglossia in your patients, both young and old.

Inside This Section
97    Perio Reports
100  Profile in Oral Health: Breastfeeding and Dentistry: An Important Combination
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