The tongue has an important function for swallowing and speaking. Then, what happens if the baby has a congenital abnormality on the tongue called tongue-tie?
Ankyloglossia or tongue-tie is a disorder of the lower lining of the tongue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. This membrane is called the tongue frenulum or tongue strap. Tongue-ties are marked with a shorter and thicker frenulum of the tongue, or attached to the tip of the tongue.
This congenital abnormality is rare and probably not many parents know about it. The cause is not yet known with certainty, but tongue-tie is more common in male babies than female babies.
Impact of Tongue-tie on Infants
As has been said before, the tongue plays an important role in the process of eating, drinking, and talking. These three processes will be interrupted if the baby experiences tongue-tie. There are at least three problems that can occur as a result of tongue-tie in infants, namely:
1. Babies find it difficult to suck breast milk
Initially, tongue-tie will cause interference when breastfeeding. Instead of sucking breast milk when breastfeeding, the baby just chews the mother's nipples. This breastfeeding disorder will affect the amount of milk consumed by infants, so that it will interfere with growth and development.
2. Mother's nipples hurt
Mother's nipples will also become sick or injured as a result of babies who cannot breastfeed properly. When a baby starts eating solid food (MPASI), tongue-tie risks making the baby choke. In addition, in older children, tongue-tie can make it difficult for children to lick food.
3. Children have difficulty speaking
Speech disorders may only be felt in older children. Children will have difficulty when saying words that have the letters r and other consonants, such as t, d, z, s, l, j, ch, th, and dg. When entering school age, children with tongue-tie will have difficulty when playing wind instruments.
4. The oral cavity tends to be unclean
In addition to eating and talking disorders, tongue-tie will also cause oral hygiene to be disturbed, because the tongue is difficult to clean up food debris on teeth. This condition makes the patient tongue-tie at risk of cavities and gum inflammation.
Other things that can also occur due to tongue-tie are the appearance of a gap between the two front teeth and the damage to the gums in the area.
How to Overcome Tongue-tie in Infants and Children
There are three types of actions that can be done to overcome tongue tie, namely frenotomy, frenectomy, and frenuloplasty. Here are the three differences:
Frenotomy
The simplest action to overcome tongue-tie is frenotomy. This procedure is performed without anesthesia or anesthesia, by tearing a little frenulum of the tongue. The process of this action is fast, leaving only a little discomfort, with a little bleeding. Afterwards, the baby can also breastfeed immediately.
Frenectomy
Frenectomy is done by cutting and removing the entire frenulum. Cutting the frenulum can be done with a scalpel or special instrument, such as an electrocauter (burned) and laser beam.
The procedure of frenectomy with electrocauter and laser beam only requires local anesthesia, unlike frenectomy with a scalpel that requires general anesthesia or with sedation. The recovery period for frenectomy operations with electrocauters is also faster.
Frenuloplasty
The procedure for frenuloplasty is more complex and requires general anesthesia. Not only does it cut the tongue's frenulum, it also involves suturing and repairing the shape of the frenulum.
The doctor will assess which actions are most appropriate for your baby. In addition to these three actions, the doctor may also suggest waiting while observing the baby's development. Discuss again with the pediatrician about the benefits and risks of the recommended action.
If your baby has difficulty breastfeeding, try to see a doctor. Maybe he had a tongue-tie. The condition should not be underestimated, because it can cause growth and development disorders, speech disorders, and disorders of oral health.
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