How To Keep Your Child From Having Lip Tie Problem

When the skin of the upper lip connects the gums in a way that prevents lip movement and makes breastfeeding difficult for your baby, you can say your baby has a lip tie. The lip straps to the gums by tissue but sometimes if this tissue is too short and tight, it results in a lip tie.

While there have been cases of lip ties, there has not been much research carried out on it compared to tongue ties which share some similarities with the former. Both conditions can prevent your little one from feeding and this will lead to weight loss which is a bad deal for any growing child. This is one of the reasons you shouldn’t ignore it.

People know lip tie to be a mild condition that is not accompanied by severe symptoms in babies. As long as they’re gaining weight following the guidance of a pediatrician. But, lip tie, once diagnosed, is easy to correct so why settle for it?

Difference Between A Tongue Tie And A Lip Tie

A tongue tie is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. A lip tie is a medical condition that happens when there is little or no space between the upper gum and the lower gum. Compared to lip tie, tongue tie occurs more. Sometimes they can both be present in a baby and there’s reason to believe that both conditions are genetic.

The Lip Frenulum Is Not A Lip Tie

Most people often mistake lip frenulum for lip tie, but they are different! The lip frenulum is the tissue inside the upper lip that connects the gum. When that tissue is too short and begins to restrict normal activities like breastfeeding and movement of the lip, it is then called a lip tie.

The lip frenulum is the tissue in the mouth that helps to keep the lip stable to enable other parts of the face to grow and mature. This tissue also aids sucking since it helps in the stability of the mouth.

Causes Of Lip Tie Issues

There isn’t enough research to understand why lip ties happen. Some lip attachments are normal, and others might most likely be unusual. The conditions below are diseases that cause problems with muscles, connective tissue, or bones.

Oral-facial-digital syndrome: This is a condition that affects the oral cavity.

Gastric outlet obstruction: A condition in which the opening between the stomach and small intestine thickens. This involves pyloric stenosis which occurs most often in babies under six months old. In this condition, the pylorus muscles block food from entering the small intestine. It occurs more often in males.

Holoprosencephaly: This condition occurs in the first 2 or 3 weeks of pregnancy which could lead to poor brain development.

Ellis-van Creveld syndrome: This is an inherited disorder of bone growth that leads to dwarfism.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: This is a group of inherited disorders that affect the skin, joints, and blood vessels.

Stages Of Lip Tie

Experts will check for the presence of a lip tie by looking underneath your baby’s upper lip. There are four stages of lip tie and the most severe stage is stage 4.

Stage 1

One can describe stage 1 as Mucosal. This type occurs when the tissue connects to the top of the gums. The point where they meet is the mucogingival junction.

According to Flinch et al, 1021 newborn Swedish children took oral examinations, of whom 101 were re-examined after 2-3 or 4-5 months. The most common findings, registered in 74.9% of the children, were oral mucosal cysts situated either palatally or on the alveolar ridges. The majority of the palatal cysts disappeared shortly after birth, and some alveolar cysts appeared after birth.

Stage 2

One can describe stage 2 as Gingival. This stage of lip frenulum happens when the tissue connects farther down into the gums.

Stage 3

One can describe stage 3 as Papillary. A papillary lip frenulum is when the tissue connects to the gums between the front teeth. This area is the interdental papilla.

Stage 4

One can describe stage 4 as Papilla penetrating. It is the highest stage of lip tie. In this stage, the tissue is down between the teeth but crosses over into the bone and extends back.

How To Nurse A Child With A Lip Tie

A baby with a lip tie will find it difficult to latch and to also suck the breast. In this case, your baby will find it easier to feed from the bottle. It’s advisable to pump your breast milk into a bottle. If your baby is feeding on formula, it’s also good for his health.

If you insist on breastfeeding a baby with a lip tie, you may have to be strategic. You could try softening your breast with your baby’s saliva before attempting to latch, and consistently practice proper latching techniques so that your baby can connect more to your breast. A lactation consultant may be able to help you with more ways to make nursing more comfortable and painless for you and your baby.

Signs And Symptoms Of A Lip Tie

With close attention and observation, you might suspect a lip tie in your baby. The most obvious sign is a tight lip attachment. Some other signs that your baby has a lip tie might include:

Poor weight gain due to inability to feed

Reflux; due to swallowing too much air

Spending a longer time to feed

Smacking noises while feeding

Milk dripping from mouth

While breastfeeding a baby with a lip tie, you might experience severe pain in your breast because your baby struggles to suck.

Difficulty sucking a pacifier

Choking

The baby may fall asleep while breastfeeding. You should take note, even though babies naturally fall asleep while sucking. Some newborns get fussy when they are feeling sleepy and putting them on the breast can aid them to sleep.

Babies aren’t the only ones that suffer from lip tie, there are grown-ups with this condition and some of their symptoms may include,

Difficulty brushing

A space between the front teeth

Loss of gum between the teeth

Withdrawn gums

A hole in the tooth

Scattered dentition

Difficulty in pronouncing words

Effects Of A Lip Tie

While some research states that lip tie has no effect, others specified that it might cause problems with latch and seal during breastfeeding. This might lead to the following:

Damage to your nipples: Lip tie could lead to distortion of the shape of the nipples

Development of engorgement; blocked ducts, or mastitis

Dental Issues. When a baby can’t breastfeed, it can lead to poor nutrition. Additionally, a severe lip tie may also affect your baby’s dental health. Lip ties often lead to tooth decay in children. Lip ties can lead to tooth decay for your baby when milk and tiny pieces of food get trapped in the teeth because of the upper lip. It is imperative to clean the area behind your baby’s upper lip well to prevent this. If your baby’s teeth are not cleaned well in that area, your child may also experience a receding of their gums because of bacteria buildup. A lip tie can also cause a significant gap between the two teeth in front. This happens when the lip tie is severe enough that it extends beyond the gums and connects to the palate of the roof of the mouth.

Diet Issues. As your baby gets older, it may have trouble eating some foods with a lip tie that isn’t corrected. For example, their lips may not be able to move freely to clean the food off from a spoon, or they may struggle to chew their meal. If this happens, your child may develop eating preferences that seem picky

How Do I Avoid Lip Tie Issues Later In Life?

The first thing to do to avoid prolonging any medical issue is to consult an expert for a solution. Thus, you should take your baby to see any of the following persons;

A pediatrician

A midwife

A dentist

During the evaluation, a medical expert will likely ask you to breastfeed to see signs of a lip tie. They will check the following:

Your baby’s ability (or inability) to latch deep enough for effective feeding.

Spitting milk out or choking on milk

Feeding with high frequency also known as cluster feeding

Poor weight gain or transfer of milk during a breastfeeding session

Development of jaundice, which is a condition where your baby’s skin turns slightly yellow

The Correction Process

The correction process can begin when the doctor confirms your baby has a lip tie. In some cases, this may only take a few minutes to finish. According to The Mayo Clinic, the procedure involves releasing or clipping the labial frenum to allow for greater freedom of movement. Traditional frenectomy involves scissors to clip the membrane. There’s almost no pain since the frenulum does not have a lot of blood vessels and nerves.

Your dentist may also decide to use a laser to correct it. Laser lip tie surgery has the following benefits:

Little to no bleeding

Total removal of labial frenum

Very short treatment time

Minimally invasive

Less trauma to layers beneath the affected area

Rapid recovery and healing

Less chance for reattachment

This can be done by a midwife but preferably, it should be done by a dentist. Right after the procedure is completed, your baby may experience an immediate improvement and is free to be breastfed. Your doctor may recommend skin-to-skin feeding after laser surgery. This improvement can be seen within one week to one month after surgery.

Caution

However, depending on your baby’s age it may take time to adjust to getting a deeper latch. It will take patience and encouragement to help them learn how to latch properly.

The work doesn’t end with the surgery. You will have to continue to help the healing process by pulling up on the lip and gently rubbing the area with a clean finger, by doing this, you can prevent the skin from growing back together. The procedure for correcting a lip tie is called a frenectomy and is completed by a dentist. It is considered a surgical procedure.

Last Words

In conclusion, it is important to recognize that lip ties can impact a newborn’s ability to feed properly and may hinder their weight gain. However, the good news is that detecting and addressing this condition is relatively simple and can be corrected with a few minutes of intervention from a qualified dentist or pediatrician.

Mothers must understand that breastfeeding should not be a painful or uncomfortable experience. If you have any concerns about nursing or your child’s weight gain, it is advisable to consult with your child’s pediatrician. They can provide guidance, support, and necessary interventions to ensure a positive breastfeeding experience for both mother and child.

By being proactive and seeking professional advice, mothers can address any potential lip tie issues early on, promoting a healthier and more comfortable feeding journey for their precious little ones.

How To Keep Your Child From Having Lip Tie Problem – 8 Important Tips