Crying is normal and healthy in infants. However, excessive crying is a different story. It can lead to parental exhaustion and frustration, and it is pretty miserable for babies as well! If your efforts to help your child find relief have been unsuccessful thus far, it would be worth your time to get your baby evaluated for a lip or tongue tie. What exactly are these conditions, and how are they related to colic? Continue reading to find out.
Lip Tie, Tongue Tie, and Colic
Lip tie and tongue tie are similar conditions where an overly thick band of tissue, called a frenum or frenulum, restricts the movement of important oral tissues.
These conditions are often associated with long, intense crying episodes. In certain cases, these occurrences fit the definition of colic, which is usually defined as a baby crying longer than three hours per day for a minimum of three days a week.
What is the reason behind the association between lip tie, tongue tie, and colic? One explanation is that these issues make it very difficult for babies to feed; they cannot properly latch onto a bottle or their mother’s nipples. They may not be taking in enough calories, and they might swallow a lot of air, which can cause digestive problems and reflux.
The traditional advice for dealing with colic is simply to “wait it out” because it usually goes away after several months. But if a lip or tongue tie is the underlying cause, relief may be attainable much sooner than that.
Treatment for Lip and Tongue Tie
You should not expect a lip or tongue tie to go away on its own. These are physical malformations present from birth, and if they interfere with your baby’s feeding or oral development, they must be treated.
The good news is that addressing a lip or tongue tie involves a relatively simple and fast procedure. It is called a frenectomy. A qualified dental professional simply removes or modifies the tissue that is limiting movement of the lip or tongue. This surgical process usually takes just a few minutes, recovery is easy for most babies, and it can lead to immediate improvements in feeding. After your child can feed more comfortably, there is a strong chance that episodes of prolonged crying will become much rarer.
Babies are expected to cry, but colic is a whole different issue! Look for its underlying cause so you and your child can enjoy quieter, more restful days and nights.
Meet the Practice
Dr. Adrienne Archidiacono-Jeanis is a highly skilled pediatric dentist who serves the Aledo, TX, community. She loves to work with kids of all ages and help their parents find practical solutions for difficult problems. Lip and tongue tie treatment are available in her office. To learn more or to request a consultation, contact Aledo Pediatric Dentistry at 817-406-2025.