INFANT TONGUE & LIP TIE

Chiropractic Care for Infant Tongue & Lip Ties

Why Do We Care About Oral Ties?

Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTS) is a term referring to tissues that are restricted or “tethered” affecting normal oral function and range of motion. A tongue tie can be very obvious where you may see a thin stringy piece of tissue at the tip of the tongue, anchoring it down to the floor of the mouth. A tongue tie can also be hidden and harder to see, this is often referred to as a posterior tongue tie. A posterior tongue tie will have tissue further back under the tongue which anchors it down, affecting its ability to move freely and properly. A lip tie is where a baby’s upper lip is restricted by tissue anchored down to the gums and this affects the mobility of the upper lip. Quite frequently, a baby will have both a tongue and a lip tie.

A tongue and/or lip tie can cause a wide range of problems for both mom and baby. It can affect how a baby is nursing or latching. TOTs also creates a lot of tension throughout the entire body which should be addressed. Our bodies are so smart and they start to compensate for the dysfunction occurring in the mouth, often leaving a very tense and fussy baby. In addition to breastfeeding and latching challenges, oral ties can lead to future musculoskeletal, dental, speech and airway complications.

Dr. Kara takes a whole body approach and is determined to help you reach your health and feeding goals. In some cases, this may look like establishing a better and more efficient breastfeeding relationship and in others, it may be to help your baby latch better on a bottle and become overall more comfortable. If Dr. Kara suspects a tongue and/or lip tie, she will refer you to a pediatric dentist to get a full evaluation. She will also come up with a care plan to help support you and your baby pre and post release, in order to achieve optimal results. Rehab, pre and post release, is super important. Getting the release done is just one piece of the puzzle! Like any procedure, we always get the best results when we prepare the body for it and help it recover afterwards.

“I am so thankful I found Dr. Kara! I was having such a hard time breastfeeding and my son seemed like he was uncomfortable and in pain most of the day. After our first session with Dr. Kara I was blown away. She looked in my baby’s mouth and was showing me why he was having trouble feeding and strongly suspected a tongue and lip tie. She did bodywork on him that first day and I noticed a huge improvement in our nursing sessions immediately. He was able to open his mouth wider getting a deeper latch and stayed on the breast longer without pulling away. We did a few more bodywork sessions, got our son’s tongue and lip tie released and continued with bodywork afterwards. He is literally a brand new baby!”

- Lauren W.

Tongue/Lip Tie Symptoms in Baby:

  • Latching problems such as a weak/unsustained latch

  • Lip blisters or thick white coating on tongue

  • Milk dribbling out of mouth while feeding

  • Clicking sound while feeding

  • Choking, gulping or gasping while feeding

  • Favoring one side while feeding

  • Colic, gas or reflux symptoms

  • Failure to gain weight/thrive

  • Sinus congestion, noisy breathing, snoring, sleeping with mouth opened

Tongue/Lip Tie Symptoms in Mom:

  • Pain while nursing

  • Damaged nipples: compressed or distorted (lipstick shaped) after feeding, blanched, cracked and/or bleeding

  • Engorgement, blocked ducts and mastitis because of ineffective milk removal.

  • Low milk production because of ineffective milk removal.

  • Oversupply—if baby is compensating for not being able to breastfeed well by nursing very frequently

  • Tiredness, frustration and discouragement - nursing is feeling like a “full-time job”

  • A premature end to breastfeeding.

TOTS Treatment and What to Expect

Dr. Kara is highly trained in pre and post tongue and/or lip tie release care. She always looks in the mouth and does a head-to-toe assessment of your baby. If she suspects that a tongue and/or lip tie may be contributing to your child’s symptoms, she will refer you to a pediatric dentist for a full evaluation. Dr. Kara has a list of amazing providers that she works with and strongly believes that we get the best results when we all work together.

Tongue and lip ties are frequently corrected by a procedure called a frenectomy. This is where the provider (typically a pediatric dentist who uses a laser) does a quick procedure to free up the restricted tissues. The dentist will provide aftercare exercises to prevent the tissue from reattaching. Bodywork is recommended pre and post release to address any areas of body tightness and help rehab the tongue to gain optimal function.

The Importance of Chiropractic Care for Tongue and/or Lip Ties:

Tethered oral tissues (TOTs) can create structural changes to the muscles, joints and cranium (skull) which can lead to body asymmetries and postural abnormalities. The neck, face and cranium are often most affected which is why chiropractic care is so important.

Body asymmetries and postural challenges can make it challenging to reach developmental milestones such as reaching for objects, rolling, crawling, walking etc.

Dr. Kara uses a very hands on and full body approach. She will perform a comprehensive assessment to locate any areas of stress and tension in your baby’s body. She uses a combination of treatments and exercises to address these areas and achieve optimal function. These treatments include gentle chiropractic adjustments to restore normal joint function (no pops/cracks here! And no more pressure is applied than what you would put on your own eyelid), massage, craniosacral therapy, stretches, strengthening exercises and oral exercises. Dr. Kara will also provide exercises you can do at home to further help your baby.