Have you noticed how so many babies these days are being diagnosed with tongue and/or lip ties? What are tongue ties, and do they really affect breastfeeding? Why do they seem to be more prevalent lately? How can they be treated? There is a lot of confusion about tongue ties, also known as ankyloglossia. Here is some information to help you wade through the facts and myths surrounding this topic.

What is a tongue tie?

We are all born with some of this tissue, but for some babies it is so tight that they cannot move their tongues properly. This can affect their ability to breastfeed, or even take a bottle or a pacifier. Tongue tie can also have other serious health effects. In a similar way, a baby's lips can be attached to his gums, making it difficult to get a good grasp on a nipple. Babies who have lip ties almost always also have tongue ties.

Tongues and lips are only considered *tied* if their movement is restricted, impairing mobility. It is important to note that many people have frenums which do not cause any problems at all. Each case needs to be assessed on an individual basis.The normal development of a fetus includes the growth of little bits of tissue called frenums (also known as frenulums), which attach the tongue to the floor of the lower jaw.

There are different kinds of tongue tie. They are classified according to where the frenum is attached on the base of the tongue.

Class 1 ties are attached on the very tip of the tongue. These are the ones that most people think of when they talk about tongue ties.

Class 2 ties are a little further behind the tip of the tongue.

Class 3 ties are closer to the base of the tongue.

Classes 1, 2, and 3 are also known as anterior ties.

Class 4 ties, also known as posterior ties (PTT), may be submucosal, ie. underneath the mucous membrane covering, so they must be felt to be diagnosed. Babies with this kind of tie are often misdiagnosed as having a short tongue. This video shows how to recognise a PTT.

Lip ties are classified in a similar way.

They range from Class 1 which are tiny, reaching only from the underside of the upper lip to the top of the gum, to Class 4, which have tissue connecting the lip to right under the gum ridge, located between the positions where the top front teeth will emerge.

Tongue and lip ties are considered to be midline defects. Midline facial defects tend to run in families. These include cleft lip, submucosal cleft palate, cleft chin, extra or missing teeth, nasal atresia and deviated septum.