About Tongue Ties

Tongue ties (ankyloglossia) is caused by a short and tight lingual frenulum (the membrane tissue that anchors the tongue to the floor of the mouth). In utero, the tongue forms around the 4th week of life. Before a baby is born, the connection between the tongue and the floor of the mouth usually goes away. In some cases, the connection between the tongue and floor of the baby’s mouth does not go away and this restriction can cause problems for both mother and baby. Depending on the classification/type of the oral restriction, sometimes they can be difficult to be identified. Tongue ties should be diagnosed by a tie-savvy pediatrician, dentist, SLP, and/or chiropractor. Side note: IBCLCs, LCs, and OTs can assess but not diagnose ties. Ties should also be determined on severity based on the baby’s functionality. Just looking inside a baby’s mouth is not enough to diagnose a tie as everyone has a frenulum. At The Tongue Tie Tribe, we aspire to provide an outstanding evidence-based team holistic approach to helping evaluate and come up with a treatment plan for your child (not every baby needs a frenectomy!).