Tongue-Tie: What’s under your tongue, and how is it causing health problems?

A tongue-tie, medically known as (ankyloglossia) is present at birth and is not something you outgrow. It is a short or tight band of tissue that connects the bottom of your tongue to the floor of the mouth. You may hear it called a frenum or frenulum. When restricted, it keeps the tongue down, changes our faces at rest posture, and limits mobility and function.

The tongue is a muscle and an organ. It guides functions like breathing, talking, sleeping, alignment, chewing/swallowing, and in kids guides facial development. Unfortunately, your tongue is overlooked and rarely evaluated or diagnosed.

Six-Common Issues Caused by a Tongue-Tie

1. Mouth Breathing: When the tongue cannot rest comfortably on the palate (top of your mouth), a shift occurs. The lower jaw hinges open, and mouth breathing is more likely. Many adverse effects are associated with an open mouth. Anxiety is one of them and has become all too common, but this is not our natural state. Breathing through the mouth sets our physiology up for this state. See my previous post on Nose Breathing - add link.
2. Sleep: Tongue/palate connection is needed to get into deep rejuvenating sleep. When the tongue is weak, it is more likely to fall back, setting up for disturbances/awakenings. Are you choking/gasping in your sleep? If so, your body is not getting the oxygen that is needed. 
3. Eating: The Tongue is involved in chewing/swallowing. Tongue-tie can lead to picky eating or even food aversions. Troubles in the mouth can cause digestion issues.
4. Alignment: The frenum connects to your fascia. A restriction in the tongue can not only contribute to pain in the jaw/face, but also the neck and shoulders
5. Speech: Poor tongue mobility is the cause of many speech issues.
6. Growth Guidance (your tongue dictates the growth of your upper jaw bone):

• Tongue/palate connection guides the proper growth of the face. 
• Maxillary deficiency (when your maxillary bone growth is stunted) is a huge issue today.  The maxillary bone is a part of the floor of your nose, part of the eye socket, and holds the upper teeth in place. 
• Crowding is not a problem with our teeth; it is a lack of space issue due to stunted jaw development. Our smile is not the only casualty of this modern-day problem.
  

It is so common that it is more rare to see patients without tongue dysfunction than with Unfortunately, I see tongue ties every day.

Tongue-tie can lead to health problems even without symptoms. Other muscles will take over the job of the tongue. These compensations end up contributing to health problems. You can improve these health issues with a healthier tongue.

What’s under your tongue?