A few days ago I had a lower lingual frenectomy to treat ankyloglossia. Say whaa? Let me try that again. You know that little string under your tongue? Well, thats called a frenum. If your frenum is abnormally short or tight or too close to the tip of your tongue, thats called ankyloglossia- or tongue tie (yes, its an actual condition.) As you can probably guess, a short frenum considerably restricts the tongues movement, creating numerous difficulties with speech, swallowing, and even breathing, not to mention severe jaw, mouth, and facial tension. Know how your tongue naturally rests along the roof of your mouth? Well, mine didnt. It rested along the bottom. Try it. You may notice some immediate tension in your jaw. Now imagine you continued to do that everyday. Over time youd notice some other things, too- none of them good. So why am I sharing this? Well, for one, to help inform. Ankyloglossia affects about 5% of the population, and often goes untreated. It was once common practice to snip a short frenum after birth, but thats no longer the case (probably because of cost, but also to spare the infant any unnecessary pain.) However, today the procedure can be done laserly, in a few short minutes with little to no pain, and the healing time is quick. My other reason for sharing? Gratitude. An enormous amount of gratitude. Though still sore and a bit swollen from the procedure, the immediate effects are astounding. My tongue is free! It can happily glide, slide, click, curl, dance, and rest to its hearts content, free from its ferocious frenum prison. Whats more, the severe jaw and mouth tension that plagued me for over thirty years has vanished. Poof! Gone. Just like that. As anyone who suffers from perpetual pain or tension can tell you, eliminating that pain is a total game-changer, if not a miracle. And those are just the immediate effects. As I continue to take my newly-liberated lingualizer on walks, runs, and strolls along the beach, our love and trust in each other will grow, making for a much more confident and happy me. Love your tongues, folks- and if you havent yet, hug someones tongue today! xoxo
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 15:29:18 +0000
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