Lip & Tongue-Tie Symptoms Southampton

How to Recognize Lip-Ties and Tongue-Ties

You may think that it will be easy to tell whether you or someone in your family has a lip-tie or tongue-tie, but these conditions can be harder to recognize than you might think. People of all ages can have overly restricted lips and tongues, which is why it’s important to know what kinds of symptoms you should keep an eye out for. Below is a brief overview of the warning signs associated with lip-ties and tongue-ties in Southampton; if anything here sounds familiar, give Philadelphia Tongue and Lip Tie Center a call today.

Why Choose Philadelphia Tongue and Lip Tie Center for Lip & Tongue-Tie Treatment?

  • Knowledgeable, Caring Dentist
  • Gentle Laser Frenectomies
  • Patients of All Ages Welcome

Infants

Mother holding her sleeping infant

Whether your child is breastfed or bottle-fed, a lip-tie or tongue-tie may interfere with their ability to latch on. This can make it difficult for them to feed properly, and in some cases, they may suffer digestion issues due to swallowing air by mistake. If your infant isn’t gaining weight as quickly as they should, it could be a side effect of a lip or tongue-tie interfering with feeding. Additionally, breastfeeding mothers may experience discomfort due to their lip-tied or tongue-tied infants accidentally gumming the nipple during the feeding process.

Children

Smiling child in gray beanie

When your child makes the switch to more solid foods, a lip or tongue-tie may make it harder for them to bite or swallow. But it’s not just their ability to eat that might be impacted. Lip and tongue-ties can also interfere with the development of speech, often leading to lisps and other speech impediments that might not go away on their own. In some cases, children with tongue-ties may end up breathing through their mouths while asleep, potentially leading to snoring and a variety of sleep-related issues.

Teens

Smiling teenage boy in white tee shirt

If your child reaches their teenage years without having their lip or tongue-tie treated, there is a good chance that they may end up with a noticeable gap between their front teeth, which could hurt their confidence. You may also find that they tend to stay away from particularly hard foods when they can; this is potentially a sign that a restricted lip or tongue is causing them to experience discomfort while chewing.

Adults

Adult woman smiling with trees in background

The longer a lip-tie or tongue-tie goes untreated, the more pronounced its symptoms tend to be. Many adults with these conditions find that chewing certain foods is outright painful, and they may be completely unable to pronounce specific syllables at all. On top of that, if the individual experiences sleep issues during childhood, they may end up suffering from sleep apnea when they reach adulthood. Sleep apnea is a dangerous sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and restarts.