Tongue-tie: The Effects That Go Beyond Unclear Speech
When people hear the word tongue-tie, most parents think of feeding problems in babies, or a child who doesn't speak clearly as they get older. But there's another aspect being talked about more and more: how it relates to jaw growth and the way teeth line up.
Tongue-tie is one factor that may play a part here, and it usually sits alongside other physical factors rather than acting on its own. This article looks at how those factors connect.
Where your tongue rests (tongue posture)
Picture the tongue as a sculptor. By design, when your mouth is closed, the tongue lifts up and rests against the roof of your mouth. The gentle pressure it applies there, day in and day out from early childhood, acts like a mold that helps the upper jaw and palate widen out as they grow.
In someone with tongue-tie, the tongue is held back and can't lift fully to the palate, so it settles on the floor of the mouth instead. This is known as low tongue posture, and it's considered another significant factor affecting the shape and growth of the jaw.
Comparing tongue positions
Normal tongue position | Low tongue position | |
How it rests | Against the roof of the mouth | Dropped to the floor of the mouth |
Palate and upper jaw | Palate widens outward into a U shape, with a broad upper jaw | Tends toward narrow and high, closer to a V shape |
Room for teeth | Enough space for the adult teeth | May not be enough, leading to crowding |
Effects vary from person to person depending on what other factors are involved, and they may not occur at all in some people with tongue-tie.
What may be seen in facial and jaw development
High-arched palate: When the tongue applies less pressure from beneath, the palate may not widen as much as it otherwise would, ending up narrow and highly arched, closer to a V shape.
A longer face, or a receded chin: Low tongue posture may lead to habitually breathing through an open mouth, and if that continues from childhood it may contribute to a longer facial profile. That said, mouth breathing has other causes too, such as allergies or enlarged tonsils, so a thorough assessment is needed to identify what's actually driving it.
What may be seen in the bite and dental health
Dental crowding: When the upper jaw is narrower than it should be, there may not be enough room for the adult teeth, so they come through cramming together and overlapping.
Gum recession at the lower front teeth: A frenulum that attaches high and sits very tight may pull on the gum behind the lower front teeth. That can cause the gum to recede, leading to sensitivity or gaps opening up between those teeth.
How the face develops and how teeth line up depends on many things: genetics, breathing patterns, tonsil size, oral habits, and tongue-tie among them.
And this isn't only relevant to children. In adults, tongue-tie can also make the mouth harder to keep clean, contribute to gum recession at the lower front teeth, and affect speech. Staying alert to the signs and seeing a dentist early matters at any age, both to restore how well the tongue works and to reduce oral health problems over the long term.
If you've started noticing these signs in your child, or you have symptoms of your own that you suspect may come down to tongue-tie, come in for an initial assessment at SKM Dental Clinic. Our dental team will examine the facial structure and the alignment of the teeth in detail, and plan treatment to keep your and your child’s mouth healthy and smile confidently.
If tongue-tie is confirmed, what are the treatment options?
Your dentist/orthodontist will decide on the approach based on age and how thick the frenulum is, ranging from a simple release in babies through to a surgical procedure in adults. Whichever route is taken, the part you can't skip afterwards is tongue exercises, which allow a muscle that has been tethered for years to adjust and learn to move correctly.
For more on the treatment methods, aftercare and possible side effects, https://www.skmdental.com/en/post/tongue-tie-what-it-is-how-to-spot-it-and-when-it-needs-treating
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