No parent wants to hear that their child has a medical condition. Unfortunately, many babies are born with a condition known as tongue tied, or ankyloglossia in the medical and dental community. According to Cleveland Clinic, tongue tie happens in one out of 10 newborns. Tongue tied means that the tongue is attached to the floor of the mouth, and does not have the movement that regular tongues have. Fortunately, there are treatments available to treat this condition, and it is something you want to treat, as there are many negative impacts that being tongue tied can have on a child. Here are some of those impacts.

1. Poor Oral Development

Having tongue tie can result in poor oral development if your child does not have the condition corrected. The tongue is designed to move freely in the mouth. But, when it is adhered to the bottom of the mouth, it can impact the jaw, the shape of your child's teeth, and even leave your child more exposed to cavities later in life.

2. Nutritional Deficiencies

One of the most common impacts that being tongue tied has on a child relates to their ability to eat. Newborns use their mouth and their tongue to latch on to their mother's breast or to a bottle. If a child cannot do this, they may not get the nutrition they need. A newborn can start to lose weight, and if the issue is prolonged, the lack of nutrients can affect their bones, muscles, and overall growth.

3. Speech Complications

The final way that a child who is diagnosed with a tongue tie can be affected is with speech complications. If the tongue tie is not repaired early in life, your child can be behind when it comes to speech. Babies start exploring and making verbal sounds and noises between the ages of three to six months. If your child's tongue is tied, they may struggle to do this, which starts the downward path for their speech.

If your child has been diagnosed with tongue tie, or ankyloglossia, it is a condition that you want to correct in as timely a manner as possible. Being tongue tied can cause your child to have poor oral development, nutritional deficiencies and speech complications. If you are looking to treat this condition in your child, reach out to Dentistry With a Touch of Art for a consultation.