Albertville, AL
Children who are picky eaters sometimes suffer from food allergies or an intolerance to particular foods, while others base their food dislikes on taste. However, the problem is not always with their taste buds. Sometimes, the culprit can stem from undiagnosed conditions such as a tongue tie. Our Albertville family dentists at Wall Street Dentistry share on the blog today a surprising reason your child may be a picky eater and how to address the condition so that your child may eat a healthy and balanced diet.
What is a tongue-tie?
Clinically referred to as ankyloglossia, a tongue tie refers to the membrane underneath the tongue, the frenulum. A short frenulum may restrict the tongue’s natural movement when chewing, speaking, or breathing. Our Albertville laser dentists explain that a tongue tie may create a blunt, forked, or heart-shaped figure in your tongue.
What are tongue-tie symptoms?
It’s essential to understand tongue-tie symptoms so that you can provide treatment for your child. The most significant sign in young children of a tongue tie condition is gagging or choking while eating. For example, a shortened frenulum can cause challenging conditions for your child to move their tongue effectively and swallow foods safely. In addition, our Albertville dentists that treat tongue-ties advise that your child may develop adapted behaviors to compensate for the lack of the tongue’s range of motion, causing your child to swallow comfortably with some foods but not others. The result is an assumption by the parent that the child is a picky eater, has a heightened gag reflex, or is not chewing their food correctly.
Furthermore, a tongue-tie may cause neck, jaw, shoulder, and head muscles to strain since it awkwardly positions the jaw, preventing complete relaxation, resulting in jaw fatigue and muscle tension. In young children, the exhaustion and stress may cause behavioral changes such as eating more often, eating smaller portions, facing challenges when chewing raw crunchy vegetables or tough meat, or swallowing unchewed or partially chewed food.
Should I have my child examined for a tongue tie?
An early diagnosis is crucial for their oral health development when children have a tongue tie. The longer they must compensate oral movement with a restricted frenum, the more risk of harm. Therefore, laser dentists in Albertville advise parents to schedule an oral examination to determine if their child has a tongue tie and needs treatment to restore tongue movement and function.
What are the next steps for my child after a frenectomy?
Once your child has a frenectomy, an orofacial myofunctional therapy course may be necessary. Myofunctional therapy is a relatively pain-free process consisting of simple exercises that work facial and mouth muscles in conjunction with the tongue to correct negative oral habits unconsciously developed. Therefore, a few visits to our Albertville dental office are necessary to ensure the exercises benefit your child and receive new directions for an additional set of activities.
Tongue-Tie Treatment in Albertville, Alabama
Children who choose not to eat particular types of food may be picky eaters. However, it is vital to fully investigate your child’s dislike for particular foods as a parent. As you speak with your child about their challenges, make a note of comments that may be concerning. Then, when you visit our Albertville family dental practice, feel free to share those comments during your consultation. If you are concerned about your child’s picky eating habits and if their oral condition is a cause, feel free to contact Wall Street Dentistry by calling (256) 878-0525 or schedule an appointment with us online.