Did you know that the little fold of tissue under your tongue could be causing you to have poor sleep? In years past, pediatricians checked for tongue-ties as part of their routine checkups for infants. For whatever reason, it has fallen from practice, leaving one or two generations of patients with unresolved tongue-ties and a myriad of potential problems—one of them being sleep apnea. Learn more about the relationship between tongue-ties and sleep apnea in State College with this helpful information.
What is sleep apnea?
Most often characterized by loud, frequent snoring, sleep apnea is a condition in which you have lapses in breathing during sleep. The brain forces your body to wake up enough to resume breathing, preventing you from getting restful, deep sleep. These lapses can last anywhere between a few seconds up to a minute and happen up to hundreds of times a night.
Here are some common symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Loud, frequent snoring.
- Excessive daytime drowsiness.
- Moodiness.
- Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking.
- Difficulty focusing.
- Inability to fall or stay asleep.
What is a tongue-tie?
A tongue-tie is a thick, tight, or short string of tissue under the tongue that restricts the tongue’s movement and impairs function. Often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, tongue-ties are estimated to occur in up to 32.5% of infants. They are most often found as babies struggle to nurse or adapt to solid foods. If not resolved, they can cause problems with speech development as well.
How does a tongue-tie influence sleep?
If a tongue-tie is not addressed in infancy, it can have lasting effect on your sleep for a lifetime. An infant with a tongue-tie is not able to apply sufficient pressure against the palate and can subsequently develop a small nasal cavity, deviated septum, or high arched palate, all of which make it more difficult for the tongue to reside in the mouth without spilling over into the throat. When the tongue does this, it blocks precious airway space and contributes to obstructive sleep apnea.
All of these developments also lead to or exacerbate mouth breathing, which prevents your brain from getting the deepest level of sleep. People who mouth breathe wake up tired and experience daytime drowsiness despite the quantity of sleep.
How is a tongue-tie treated?
Most often using a CO2 laser, a dentist, oral surgeon, or ENT doctor is able to perform a frenectomy, or a release procedure which entails removing the small fold of tissue under the tongue. Typically there is little to no blood, and the laser allows for more precise control than simply cutting the tissue with a scalpel.
After a frenectomy, you’ll likely notice that your baby has deeper, higher quality sleep with less snoring, less movement, less waking, and a better mood after waking. Older children and adults may need additional occupational therapy or dental treatment to resolve their symptoms fully following a frenectomy.
Whether you’re a new parent wanting to address your baby’s tongue-tie or you’re just tired of waking up feeling tired, treating a tongue-tie could change your life for the better by giving you better, more restful sleep. Schedule an appointment with your doctor or dentist in State College to talk about your sleep apnea and potential tongue-tie and get the treatment you need.
About the Author
Dr. Donald Marks has been practicing dentistry for over 45 years. At State College Dental Sleep Medicine, he actively participates in and receives training through many professional dental organizations, including the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. To contact him for more information about sleep apnea or tongue-ties, you may call (814) 234-0329 or click here.