8 Hidden Signs Your Baby Has a Tongue Tie

Congratulations on the arrival of your little one! Your whole world is revolving around your new baby, with magic in every moment. Unfortunately, some babies are born with tongue ties, which can interfere with their feeding, speech development, and comfort. Dr. North and her team at Bitty Bites Pediatric Dentistry offer tongue tie evaluations and laser frenectomies to restore a natural range of movement, supporting healthy growth and development. Contact our Richmond practice to schedule a consultation today.

What Is a Tongue Tie?

A frenum is a small fold of tissue that connects your baby’s tongue to the floor of the mouth. Some children are born with tongue ties, a condition known as ankyloglossia, meaning the tissue is too short, thick, or tight. These “tethered oral tissues” or “TOTs” can significantly interfere with your child’s feeding, speech, growth, and overall development.

Signs of Tongue Ties in Babies

The following are eight of the most common signs your baby may have a tongue tie:

1. Difficulty Latching: A baby with a restricted tongue may struggle to get a deep latch and repeatedly slip off the breast mid-feed. This often causes nipple pain and damage for the mother and frustration for the baby.
2. Excessive Gas and Colic: A tongue tie can interfere with forming a tight seal when nursing, causing your baby to gulp small pockets of air (aerophagia). This can lead to painful gas, a distended belly, frequent spit-ups, pulling the legs forward toward the belly after feeds, and long stretches of inconsolable crying.
3. Persistent Mouth Breathing: When the tongue cannot rest against the roof of the mouth, babies compensate by breathing through the mouth instead. You may notice your little one sleeping with an open mouth or audible breathing, even when calm and not congested.
4. Slow or Stalled Weight Gain: A baby with a tongue tie has to work harder for less milk at every feeding session. Even constant nursing may not be enough if a poor latch is preventing your little one from adequate milk intake.
5. Clicking Sounds While Nursing: You may hear a faint clicking sound, a sign of the feeding seal breaking and reforming repeatedly because your baby’s tongue cannot maintain consistent suction. You may also notice milk leaking from the corners of your baby’s mouth.
6. Falling Asleep While Feeding: Struggling to nurse with a tongue tie can take a tremendous amount of effort, and many infants run out of energy before they have eaten enough. Your baby may wake up hungry again shortly after, creating a cycle of frequent, exhausting feeds.
7. Heart-Shaped Tongue Tip and Lip Blisters: A tongue tie sometimes leaves a distinct notch or heart shape on the tip of the tongue. Friction blisters on the lips, especially the upper lip, can also form when a baby is working extra hard to maintain suction.
8. Reflux-Like Symptoms: Because swallowed air and inefficient milk transfer disrupt digestion, some babies with tongue ties present with symptoms that look very similar to acid reflux. If your baby has been treated for reflux without meaningful improvement, you may want to consider a tongue tie evaluation.

Showing one of these signs does not necessarily confirm your baby has a tongue tie. But if you are noticing more than one, you may want to schedule an evaluation.

How Is a Tongue Tie Treated?

Dr. North will evaluate infants for a tongue, lip, or buccal tie and recommend a laser frenectomy, if needed, to enhance your child’s oral function. Our experienced pediatric dentist uses the DEKA CO2 soft tissue laser, which performs the tongue tie release in a matter of seconds with minimal bleeding and a low risk of infection.

Our office also partners with two International Board Certified Lactation Consultants who are certified in craniosacral fascial therapy, providing care to your baby both before and after the release. We are typically able to schedule referred patients within the same week. Call or text us at (804) 215-8600 to learn more about what to expect.

Trust your instincts here. If feeding has been a challenge, a tongue tie may be a possible cause of your baby’s concerns.

Laser Frenectomies for Infants in Richmond, VA

If you’ve been noticing signs of a tongue tie, contact Bitty Bites Pediatric Dentistry to schedule a consultation. Dr. North may recommend a laser frenectomy to enhance feeding and help guide healthy growth and development. We invite you to call or text us at 804-215-8600 to schedule your child’s appointment or request one by following this link today!