Dental Surgeon in the Ministry of Health, Dr Brendan Richards, is urging parents to pay closer attention to their children’s speech development, warning that what may seem like a speech delay, could a condition known as “tied tongue.”
Tied tongue, also called ankyloglossia, occurs when a child is born with an unusually short or tight band of tissue under the tongue, restricting its movement.
Dr. Richards says many parents are unaware that speech difficulties can have oral health origins, and a dentist is often the right professional to diagnose and manage such cases.
Additionally, he is advising parents to consider a dental checkup, if their child is experiencing speech problems since if left untreated, a tied tongue can lead to pain, difficulty eating and speaking, and even gum problems, such as gingival recession.
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Dr Richards points to the importance of early dental intervention, noting that in many cases, the issue can be corrected in just a few minutes at the dentist’s office, through a simple procedure.
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