{"id":370,"date":"2021-09-27T17:25:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T17:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vollersmiles.com\/blog\/?p=370"},"modified":"2021-12-27T17:28:10","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T17:28:10","slug":"are-tongue-lip-ties-more-common-than-they-used-to-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vollersmiles.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/27\/are-tongue-lip-ties-more-common-than-they-used-to-be\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Tongue & Lip Ties More Common Than They Used to Be?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Today, you can visit most mom social media influencer\u2019s content and likely hear about tongue and lip ties and the uncomfortable symptoms that accompany it for the parent breastfeeding, like nipple pain. There\u2019s more attention being paid to mothers\u2019 concerns about not only breastfeeding, but other symptoms that they notice in their infant, like digestion difficulty and restlessness. Fortunately, there\u2019s a problem and solution that can answer these parents\u2019 concerns, but is it a relatively modern diagnosis and procedure? Read on to learn more about tongue and lip ties and frenectomies, and why we\u2019re seeing it more commonly diagnosed in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What are Tongue & Lip Ties?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tongue and lip ties affect an infant\u2019s and parent\u2019s quality of life because it can impact their ability to breastfeed and digest their food. Every person is born with a small sliver of tissue in the mouth that connects their tongue to the floor of their mouth and their lips to their gums. When this tissue is overgrown, tight, or restricts the movement of the lips and tongue, they\u2019re called tongue and lip ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Tongue & Lip Ties on the Rise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The diagnosis of lip and tongue ties is definitely not new. In fact, there are woodblock art renderings of doctors performing frenectomies<\/a> (the treatment for lip and tongue ties) that date all the way back to 1679. However, in 1865, a chemist released baby formula in the form of a liquid (then, later on a powder). As more parents began breastfeeding less and turned to bottle feeding around the early to mid 1900s, fewer infants were diagnosed with the condition because one of the primary symptoms can be noticed while breastfeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, more parents are turning back to breastfeeding, and during the first few weeks they\u2019re noticing early signs of lip and tongue ties. When an infant has limited movement of their lips and tongue, it makes creating a suction-based force with their mouth by pursing their lips and thrashing their tongue harder, making breastfeeding more painful for the parent, and making it difficult for the baby to gain weight. Today, these are two common issues that bring parents into their pediatrician or dentist to get a frenectomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Signs of Tongue & Lip Ties<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several common signs that your little one could have a lip or tongue tie. In any case, it\u2019s always a good idea to take them in for a checkup with a dentist or their regular pediatrician to receive a diagnosis and treatment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n