How to Ensure Sweeter Dreams by Treating a Tongue-Tie

Sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on anyone, especially if it remains a problem for an extended period. For children, daily fatigue not only causes moodiness and the inability to focus but can also result in poor academic performance. If you’re unsure why your little one appears tired in the morning or suffers from less-than-ideal oral health, it could be that a tongue-tie is to blame. Read on to discover what you can do to improve the situation and help them breathe and sleep better.

Why Would a Tongue-Tie Cause Sleep Problems?

The tongue is designed to rest comfortably against the roof of the mouth while asleep. During early development, the tongue’s placement can determine whether the upper palate will widen or remain narrow.

When a tongue-tie exists, the banded tissue prevents the tongue from encouraging the roof of the mouth to widen, resulting in a narrower space that negatively impacts nasal passages and airflow. As a result, mouth breathing occurs.

But why is this a problem?

Mouth Breathing: Its Impact on Sleep

Mouth breathing may seem harmless, but the truth is that it is not normal. If a tongue-tie is causing your child to breathe through their mouth instead of their nose, there’s a good chance that they are not getting the deep, fully relaxed sleep they require.

Unlike nasal breathing, which promotes ease, rest, and comfort, mouth breathing causes a fight or flight response, keeping the body in a more tense and uneasy state. This means that deeper stages of sleep are less likely to occur, causing your child to wake up feeling fatigued throughout the day.

How to Treat a Tongue-Tie

To help your child get the rest they need to succeed and thrive each day, you’ll want to talk to a tongue-tie expert about treatment.

They’ll likely recommend a frenectomy – a procedure that releases the banded tissue underneath the tongue, allowing it to move freely. This quick and virtually painless process will offer immediate improvement so that your child can begin to breathe properly at night.

Treating a tongue-tie is the best decision you can make for your child’s overall health and well-being, so take the time to reach out to a trusted expert who can help.

About the Author
Dr. Garcia-DeMartino is a lip and tongue-tie expert based in Phillipsburg. Attending the International World Clinical Laser Institute, she became an expert in soft tissue and hard tissue lasers. Now, she proudly helps patients suffering from the effects of lip and tongue-ties. If your child is a mouth breather and experiencing poor sleep, visit our website or call (908) 859-5260 to find out how a scheduled frenectomy can be what they need to rest better.