How Do I Know If My Baby Requires Tongue-Tie Surgery

Frena is the membranous fold that attaches and restricts the movement of a muscle. In the mouth there are two frena. The plural form of frena is frenum. The first one is located between the inside of the upper lip and the gums. If you slide your tongue up, you can feel the thick piece of skin. While the thickness varies among individuals it should not be between the two front teeth or restrict the tongue from moving back and forward in the mouth. 

The bottom frena should allow free movement of the tongue up and down and should not cause any pain when you move it around.

When your baby is born, you may notice that the frena is thicker and restricts movement, “This is referred to as being tongue-tied,” says Dr. Judith Strutz. This is one sign that may require surgery. While surgery sounds scary for a baby, lasers make this procedure safe and can help to ensure that breastfeeding is successful.

If your baby is struggling to latch onto the nipple during breastfeeding, causing pain and lack of a proper suction you may want to look in their mouth. The frenum should not restrict tongue movement. Your baby should be able to freely move the tongue towards the back of the throat and roof of the mouth.

Contact Dr. Strutzand her team today for more information.

How Tongue Tie Can Impact Breast Feeding

 

Tongue-tie can negatively impact the amazing experience of breastfeeding. In order for your baby to latch on correctly their tongue needs to be in a position where the tongue is against the back of the mouth at the roof. If the thick piece of skin that attaches their tongue to the lower part of their mouth is too thick, it will create a barrier for their tongue to move efficiently in the mouth.  As they attempt to latch on, the tongue-tie may cause them to latch on to the side of the breast instead of the nipple.

If your baby is able to latch on to the nipple, it may still be an issue. When the latch is not quite right it can be painful for you and eventually cause your baby to overcompensate and suck harder. “This takes effort on your infant’s part. Once he is unable to keep up the strength it takes to hold onto the nipple that hard, he may let go,” says Dr. Judith Strutz. “If he lets go too soon, there may be more milk remaining in the breast, causing an increase of pain and soreness for the mother. Your baby will have also not received enough nutrition and then may quickly become hungry again.

Depending on the thickness of the frenum, some babies are not able to latch to the breast at all. While breastfeeding under normal circumstances can cause stress, this situation can create unnecessary strain on you during breastfeeding. Don’t give up. Instead get help.

Contact Dr. Strutz & her team today and have your child evaluated for a lip or tongue tie..

Get Your Baby Laser Surgery

Laser surgery can help save you and your baby from hours of sleepless nights, gas and nursing pain. When your baby is born and you are staring at their perfectly formed ten fingers and ten toes, you may not notice the frenum - a thick piece of skin that attaches the lip to the roof of the mouth and another that attaches the tongue to the bottom of the mouth.  This piece of skin should not obstruct movement of the tongue, but many times it does.

Some may suggest you wait to have surgery as the skin may fix itself, but when you are nursing your baby, it can become a problem for your child and you. A lip tie or tongue-tie may mean that your baby will have difficulty correctly latching on to the nipple. In order for you baby to have the proper attachment when eating, the tongue needs to be in the correct position.

A frenum, can decrease the movement in the tongue when a baby is trying to eat, which can become painful. Babies can cause sleep deprived mothers and fathers under normal conditions, if they are not eating correctly or if they are in pain, this can cause them and you to get even less sleep.

Surgery for this can be done using lasers and completed when your baby is just a few days or weeks old.  For more information on laser surgery, contact Dr. Judy Strutz today.

 

Is Oil Pulling Right For Me

Oil pulling is the process of swishing oil in the mouth, in order to pull impurities from the mouth and the body. While this procedure is not new, and has been done for thousands of years, it has only recently hit the mainstream as a process that can help rid the mouth and the body of the buildup of toxins. While oil pulling may not be right for you, when paired with healthy dental habits, research shows it can increase the health of your smile. Here are three things to consider before you begin this process.

Dr. Judy Strutz, says “While oil pulling can be beneficial, it may not be the right process for everyone.”  Toxins overtime build up in the mouth. These toxins can come from inside the body and be held in the mouth for long periods of time. If you lead a healthy life, and are able to rid toxins from the body through other processes, there may not be a need for you to utilize oil pulling. If you find yourself feeling, tired, sluggish and have low energy, you may be a good candidate to try this.

Oil pulling can remove buildup of plaque from your teeth. Nothing will replace healthy dental habits, but to provide an extra layer of support for your teeth, oil pulling can reduce the amount of plaque buildup, which leads to cavities and other problems.

Gum disease is the number one disease in America that affects adults. Dr. Strutz suggests, “Oil pulling can help strengthen the health of your gums.” Stronger gums help hold your teeth in place and decrease your chances of additional bone loss due to periodontal disease.

For more information contact Dr. Strutz & her team today

Laser Surgery

Laser surgery can seem scary, especially when performed on your infant. While some dentists may recommend that you wait if your baby has a maxillary frenum, Dr. Judy Strutz recommends taking care of this early on. While initially your baby may be impacted negatively right away with decreased ability to eat correctly, as they get older their ability to speak correctly may also be impacted.

Children that enter school with a frenum may be unable to correctly pronounce certain sounds. If a child by the age of five is unable to pronounce certain sounds correctly they may never be able to say them quite right. Children can be teased or become frustrated when peers ask them to repeat what they are saying. 

Curriculum requirements mean that students are reading at earlier ages then years ago and are required to orally express their thoughts and understanding of problems.   Dr. Strutz states, “While they may struggle to correctly speak due to the thin piece of skin between their teeth, it can also decrease their self-esteem, causing them to speak in school less and less.” An inability to express their understanding of a problem has a tremendous impact on their overall educational opportunities and could impact them for years to come.

           

If your child has a frenum, now is the time to get it evaluated.

Oil Pulling & You

Here are the facts:

Oil pulling has earned the positive respect from professionals as an alternative method to keeping your smile healthy. While some individuals can’t understand why someone would stick oil in their mouth and swish it around, the impact of this choice can change the way your smile looks. Here are the facts about oil pulling. While oil pulling does not replace regular brushing and flossing, it can still be a valuable addition to your routine habits.

Oil pulling has been around for three thousand years and is not new in the dental field. It has gained recent attention due to reported benefits. The recommended oil is sesame, coconut or sunflower oil. Coconut oil has the added benefit of having anti-microbial agents.   

While twenty minutes may seem like a long time when oil pulling, if the time is a struggle you may want to begin at five minutes and then work your way up. Dr. Judy Strutz, suggests, “Do this one time a day.” The purpose of oil pulling is to remove food from between the teeth and remove bacteria in the mouth.

Once you put the oil in your mouth, you need to gently swish back and forth. Your jaw should not hurt while oil pulling. It is just a gentle swish in the mouth. When your time is up, you’ll want to spit out the oil. “It is not recommended you swallow any,” says Dr. Strutz.

To learn more, contact our office.

6 Tips To Fix Your Smile

There are a hundred at home remedies coming your way to fix and restore your smile to a healthier state. Our smile can positively impact our first impression, communicate our wants and needs to a partner, or let a friend know we’re happy to see them. An unhealthy smile can decrease our positive relationships. Here are six tips to help you get your smile back.

1.     Dr. Strutz states, “Brushing regularly twice a day is the recommendation in order to remove food from the gums and teeth.”

2.     Floss at least once a day. There is no other way to remove food from between the teeth.

3.     “Visit the dentist regularly. Visiting the dentist helps to correct any developing problems and to give early options to reverse the impact of dental decay,” Dr. Judy Strutz.

4.     Fix missing or broken teeth. Once you lose one tooth it is common to lose others due to a decrease in bone stimulation. Replace and restore is a good way to keep your mouth fit.

5.     Utilize natural whiteners such as natural fruit that help whiten your teeth. Think strawberries.

6.     Drink more water. Water helps remove food from the teeth in between eating.

If your smile is not up to your standards contact Dr. Strutz & her team today for help.