What issues can a tongue tie cause?

The tongue is instrumental in sucking milk and therefore weight gain and growth.
As a newborn baby, tongue tie may not be apparent until the first feed. In tongue tie, the baby struggles to push the nipple or bottle teat to the back of the mouth or form a tight seal to suck milk out. Inefficient feeds can lead to:

In the first few days of life: Need for a feeding tube to be fitted via the nose.

In the first few weeks of life: Poor weight gain, painful wind, painful latch if breastfeeding.

In the first few years: Tongue tie can lead to difficulty with pronunciation of certain words.

In adolescence: Gum shrinkage around the lower front teeth, poor oral hygiene and pain.

illustration of baby, without tongue tie, breastfeeding. The nipple is compressed and held in a posterior position by the elevated tongue. In this deep latch, milk is sucked easily and the nipple is safely positioned without being traumatised by the baby’s firm gums.