All tongue ties should be released.
FALSE: Tongue ties should only be released when they are having symptoms and function is decreased. Sometimes tongue ties are all the way to the tip, however there are no side effects and the tongue still has full range of motion. Tongue ties should be released when you have symptoms such as: speech disorders that don’t seem to be getting better with speech therapy, limited range of motion, TMJ, headaches, sleep disturbances, picky eating, gagging on certain foods/pills, high narrow palates, snoring, food pocketing, etc. This means that the tongue is unable to function properly.
You can outgrow a tongue tie or stretch it out.
FALSE: This is not possible. The only way to fix a tongue tie is surgically.
A tongue tie release is not a “simple fix.”
TRUE: Orofacial Myofunctional therapy is needed as well as other medical professionals including: ENT, dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, GI, craniosacral therapists, chiropractors, and other “body work” professionals. You also have to do stretches and wound management after the release or it will reattach. There is usually less work that is needed when tongue ties are caught in infancy. Once a child and/or adult has dealt with the long term effects of the constant pulling of the tissue there more work needs to be done from the years of strain. The tongue has tissue that is connected from the base of our tongues all the way down to our toes. It can cause lots of damage including: neck strain, forward head position, plantar fasciitis, back pain, headaches, and more body strains.
Tongue ties are genetic
TRUE: There is a 70% likelihood that a person will have a tongue tie when they have a relative that has one.
Tongue ties are not common.
FALSE: Anterior tongue ties (tie to tip) is estimated to be 4-10% of all newborns. However when you include posterior tongue ties that number is closer to 20%.