Tongue tie, also known as ankyloglossia, is a condition in which the tongue offers restricted movement due to attachment to the floor of the mouth with connective tissue.
A frenectomy is performed to cut the tissue and free the tongue. During this condition, the movement of the tongue is restricted. Also, the infants experience difficulty while nursing, speaking, smiling, crying, and eating.
If the movement is restricted due to the tight frenulum, exercises for tongue tie can be helpful. If not, the parents must visit the pediatric dentist or orthodontics and look for a permanent solution: a frenectomy.
However, we present some basic exercises to help babies feel better.
Tongue Tie Phoenix offers excellent services, including tongue tie services, lip tie services, frenectomies, and lactation consulting.
Contact us today and book an appointment with our professionals to better understand your infant’s situation and find expert advice.
Read: What is Laser Frectomy? Laser Frectonomy for Babies & Adults
How To Be Prepared for Tongue Tie Release Exercises?
For tongue tie exercises without surgery, parents must know what tongue tie is and how and when to perform these exercises in their babies.
Kickstart the exercise routine at home, and follow these measures to experience great results:
- Wash your hands before performing the exercises.
- Ensure the baby is comfortable on your lap.
- Softly stroke the lips of your baby to start the exercise.
- Lightly massage your baby’s lips and tongue.
- Move your finger to the back of their lower gum to start the tongue movement.
Once you feel your baby is in an active state for mouth exercise, start practicing the exercises. Be sure to be kind and gentle.
Make sure to perform these exercises patiently and in a predictable sequence. If your baby rejects the exercise, try different exercises some other time.
Read: What to Expect After Tongue Tie Release?
5 Best Tongue Tie Exercises for Newborn
Before getting started, make sure you learn all these exercises correctly. Before getting started:
- Wash and clean your hands. Make sure your fingernails are short and file.
- Find a quiet and comfortable position for your baby.
- Do not perform these exercises while your baby is sleepy.
If your baby is uncomfortable and rejects these exercises, try to understand their language and take it slow.
Perform some other time when your baby is in a good mood. Studies show that myofunctional therapy is more effective than tongue tie exercises 1.
However, these exercises are found effective for low-grade tongue ties. So, let’s have a glance at them:
1: Tongue massage
To perform it well, start with the simplest and most basic exercise, tongue massage. This is the best exercise for babies who struggle to bring their tongue forward.
Stimulate the tongue area with a soft and gentle massage. Encourage your baby to open their mouth and place your finger pad side up in the mouth.
Gently turn your finger around and start massaging circular motions.
Continue to rub the tongue forward, increasing the movements gradually and gently.
2: Cheek massage
Please move to the following sequence of tongue tie release exercises for toddlers by massaging their cheeks.
Place your right index fingertip inside your baby’s cheek while the other hand’s index on the outside.
Allow your hands to create vibrations in a circular motion by moving both fingers simultaneously.
The direction must be outside towards the mouth corner. It will help the cheek muscles relax and activate other tongue muscles.
Make sure you perform this gently so your baby feels comfortable and giggles.
3: Press down exercise
One of the critical oral motor exercises for tongue ties in kids is pressing down to elevate the posterior part of their tongue along with the tongue tie.
In this exercise, use your finger to touch your baby’s chin and the area between the top lip and nose.
When your baby opens the mouth, apply pressure and withdraw quickly.
Try making this exercise fun by making silly sounds to draw your baby’s attention.
Perform this a few times and move on to the next one.
4: Palatal massage
Studies reveal that orofacial myofunctional therapy is quite effective for tongue thrust issues in babies 2.
To perform this exercise:
- Gently insert your clean finger into your baby’s mouth and allow your baby to suck it. You might feel a ridge along the midline of the palate’s roof.
- Roll your finger to the lateral gum, then back to midroll, and roll out of the lateral gum on the right.
- Repeat this exercise in this sequence a few times.
5: Tongue lifts
Perform some gentle tongue lifts using your index and middle fingers. If you perform this exercise post-surgery, be careful not to disturb the wound.
Tongue lifts help improve tongue movement but can be painful post-surgery.
Read: Is Your Baby Struggling with Tongue Tie? Identify the Signs
Final words:
To sum up, pre-tongue tie-release exercises for babies are helpful as they allow the kids to experience something with their mouths.
Kids become comfortable adding fingers to their mouths and don’t hesitate during surgery. So, parents must perform pre and post-surgery myofunctional exercises for tongue tie.
Moreover, pediatric dentists can help parents learn about the exercises well before starting on babies.
Read: What Does A Tongue Tie Look Like in a Newborn?
FAQs
Can exercises help tongue-tie?
No, tongue tie exercises, do not treat tongue tie as the orthodontics highly recommends them after a frenectomy.
Moreover, it is effective for post-treatment reattachment.
How do you fix a tongue-tie naturally?
The only way to fix tongue ties is by the modern treatment known as frenectomy.
Additionally, myofunctional therapy followed by tongue tie exercises is the only solution.
How do you exercise your tongue for a tongue-tie for adults?
For tongue tie release in adults, they must visit an orthodontist and learn about exercises.
Hand movements and tools make it possible to feel better with a tongue tie.
When is the best time to do tongue-tie exercises?
The best time to perform tongue-tie release exercises is when they are active. Make sure that your baby is in a happy and playful mood.
Moreover, we recommend performing exercises before feeding.
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