Tongue Tie in Babies: When It Really Matters

Dr. Tanmay Motiwala
Pediatric Surgeon, Raipur · Updated 30 Sep 2026 · 6 min read

“Doctor, the dentist says my baby has tongue-tie and we need to cut it. But she is feeding fine and gaining weight. Do we really need to do this?” Parents often ask me this about tongue tie in babies.

I hear this worry very often in my clinic in Raipur. These days, clinics find tongue-tie in a lot of babies. And they push many families into a procedure the baby may not need. So here are the key things every parent should know.

What Is Tongue Tie in Babies?

Under every baby’s tongue is a thin strip of tissue called the frenulum. It connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. In some babies this strip is short, or it joins too close to the tip. That is tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia.

It is fairly common. About 5 to 10 out of 100 newborns have it, more often boys. But here is the key point: being present is not the same as causing a problem.

When Does Tongue Tie in Babies Actually Matter?

In real life, tongue-tie matters in only a few cases:

Breastfeeding is genuinely failing — the baby cannot latch properly, the mother has cracked and painful nipples, and weight gain is poor.
An older child has clear speech trouble with sounds like t, d, l, r, and the tongue clearly cannot move much.
The tongue cannot reach the lower teeth, leading to dental problems later.

If your baby is feeding well and gaining weight, a “tongue-tie” on a routine exam does not mean your baby needs surgery.

The Right Question to Ask

Not “does my baby have a frenulum?” — every baby does.

The right question is: “Is this baby feeding poorly because of the frenulum?”

To answer it properly, a breastfeeding expert (lactation consultant) or a pediatric surgeon must first check how the baby feeds. This should happen before anyone reaches for scissors or a laser.

Tongue Tie Release in Babies: The Procedure

If your baby truly needs a release, the operation is small:

In newborns and young infants — a quick snip with sharp scissors in the clinic. At this age, the frenulum is thin and hardly bleeds. The baby cries for under a minute and goes straight back to the breast. No stitches, no anaesthesia.
In older children — the frenulum is thicker and has blood vessels, so we do it as a short day-care procedure under general anaesthesia. The child goes home the same day.

That is all. In skilled hands, it is one of the simplest operations in pediatric surgery.

Things You May Have Heard — That Aren’t Quite Right

“Every baby with a frenulum needs it cut.”

No. Every baby has a frenulum. Most are completely fine.

“Laser is better than scissors.”

Studies show no difference in feeding results between laser and scissors. Scissors are faster, cheaper and safe.

“If we don’t cut it early, my child won’t speak properly.”

Most children with mild tongue-tie speak normally. Even if a child needs a release, doing it at age 2–3 works perfectly well.

“Tongue-tie causes colic, reflux, and poor sleep.”

There is no good evidence for this. Be careful of any clinic that blames a long list of other problems on the tongue.

“You must do painful tongue stretches for weeks after the release.”

The proof for this is very weak. Most pediatric surgeons advise against hard stretching, because it can make the baby refuse feeds altogether. Normal feeding and play give the tongue plenty of movement.

Common Questions Parents Ask

My baby’s tongue looks heart-shaped when she cries — is that bad? By itself, no. It just means the frenulum is there. If feeding and weight are fine, you need to do nothing.

Will my baby bleed a lot? After a quick snip in the clinic (frenotomy) in a newborn, usually just a drop or two. In older children, we do it under anaesthesia, and bleeding is small and under control.

Will it grow back? True reattachment is uncommon if the release was complete.

Can a dentist do this? The procedure itself is simple. What matters more than the tool is the diagnosis. Make sure someone checks the feeding properly first.

When to See a Pediatric Surgeon

Book a consultation if:

Your baby is not latching despite a lactation consultant’s help, and the tongue clearly looks tied
Your baby is not gaining weight and someone has told you it is “the tongue”
Your nipples are cracked and bleeding and feeding has become too hard to continue
Your older child has clear speech difficulty with a visibly restricted tongue
You want a second opinion before you agree to a release another clinic suggested

Take a mild tongue tie in a baby who is feeding and growing well. Here, the textbook answer is the same as for many things in pediatric surgery: observe, reassure, and do not operate just because you can.

Dr. Tanmay Motiwala is an AIIMS-trained pediatric surgeon and pediatric urologist practising in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. He performs newborn frenotomy and frenuloplasty, after a careful feeding and functional assessment. To book a consultation, visit the Contact page or call the clinic directly.

Related reading: Preparing Your Child for Surgery — A Parent’s Guide | Is Surgery Safe for My Child?

Sources: Coran’s Pediatric Surgery (7th ed); Rob & Smith Operative Pediatric Surgery (7th ed); DK Gupta Pediatric Surgery Vol 1. Further reading for parents: Tongue-tie, NHS.

📋 This article is part of Dr. Motiwala’s Neonatal & Newborn Surgery in Raipur services — see the full range of conditions treated, what to expect, and when to see a pediatric surgeon.

Tongue-Tie in Babies: When It Really Matters — and When It Doesn’t