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01. Tongue Tie

If you have a tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) with restricted mobility of your tongue, particularly its ability to habitually rest on the roof of your mouth, you may require specific exercises to improve your tongue mobility and posture. If these are not successful, you may need a frenectomy procedure to release your tongue-tie. 

Frenectomies can be performed by dentists typically with a laser using numbing novocaine so there is no pain during the procedure. You will experience some postoperative soreness for 1-2 weeks that can be managed using Tylenol. ENTs can also perform frenectomies where they often use surgical cutting instruments vs a laser. In both cases, sutures are typically used. 

In some situations, tongue ties are very obvious while others can be more subtle yet be causing significant issues in the body such as neck, jaw and shoulder tension and dysfunction. Refer to this article for additional information on tongue ties and the frenectomy procedure.

https://www.arlingtonsmilecenter.com/tongue-tie-and-lip-tie-in-adults/

Tongue ties tend to be familial where if you have one it is likely one of your parents do too. However, there are also nutritional factors that can be contributing to their incidence. Refer to this article to learn more about how your nutrition, posture and facial development are connected. 

Before having a frenectomy, it is important to prepare and train your tongue using tongue posture and mobility techniques. This way, once released, your tongue will neurologically understand how to behave like a normal tongue and reduce the likelihood of it becoming restricted again (which can happen if you do not comply with the post-op exercises and stretches). 

For more subtle tongue ties, you may not even need to have a frenectomy and be able to restore your tongue function simply by doing tongue mobility and posture exercises along with other important posture, movement and breathing techniques. Often, when the tongue is a problem there are likely other corresponding breathing and postural issues in the body which need to concurrently be addressed.

 

Indicators as to why you might be a candidate for a release despite already trying myofunctional and postural therapy include:
  • An inability to properly posture your tongue correctly in your upper arch/palate
  • Swallowing dysfunction such an anterior tongue thrust swallow pattern which may contribute to an anterior open bite
  • Neck, shoulder or jaw tension or pain
  • Speech impediments such as a lisp 
  • Breathing or sleep problems 
  • Bruxism (clenching or grinding teeth)

 

 

Exercises to do if you have a tongue tie:
  1. 5-way Tongue Stretch
  2. The Spot-"T, D, N"
  3. The Spot- Elastic Hold
  4. The Spot- Clicks and Tick-tocks
  5. The Cave
  6. Clucks
  7. Alternating Clicks-Clucks
  8. 2 Elastic Hold
  9. Snake
  10. Gum Tracing
  11. Teeth Tracing
  12. Waggle Spot
  13. Tongue Push-ups

Once you have established appropriate tongue posture and mobility you will need to learn how to appropriately swallow. Check out the swallowing exercises for more details. 

 

 

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