Every day, we have parents who bring their children in for treatment and ask us if tongue-ties are hereditary and if adults can have one too. The answer is yes—adults can also have tongue-ties or restricted tongues. A tongue-tie doesn’t necessarily need to reach the tip of the tongue, and unfortunately, the tissue doesn’t just stretch out or go away over time. And, although we joke that it’s always Dad’s fault, it does seem more common for fathers to have a restricted tongue. In fact, that was my experience—I had a tongue-tie and passed it on to my three daughters.

How Common Are Tongue-Ties in Adults?

About 25% of babies and children are thought to have a tongue-tie, which likely means a similar percentage of adults do as well. However, if environmental factors (like folic acid or toxins) have recently increased the rate, this number could be higher.

How Can You Tell If You Have a Tongue-Tie?

One quick and easy way to check is to open your mouth wide, lift your tongue, and try to touch your palate behind your top teeth. If you can’t lift your tongue more than halfway, there may be a significant restriction. Even if you can lift your tongue higher, you might still compensate in a way that hides the restriction because the floor of your mouth is lifting too (like you are standing on tiptoe to reach something on a high shelf). 

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However, it’s important to remember that symptoms are more important than appearance when diagnosing a tongue-tie. If you don’t have symptoms, there’s nothing to worry about. But if you do, consulting with a knowledgeable provider is a good idea.

What Symptoms Should You Look Out For?

Common symptoms of tongue-ties in adults include:

• Neck and shoulder tension
• Headaches or migraines
• Sleep issues (snoring, teeth grinding, sleep apnea, poor-quality sleep, feeling fatigued or having brain fog)
• Difficulty eating slowly or swallowing pills
• Speech challenges (getting tired when talking, mumbling, stuttering, or a history of speech therapy as a child)
• Difficulty singing or playing a wind instrument
• Difficulty kissing

Other possible symptoms include breathing problems (like mouth breathing), stress and anxiety, reflux, and digestive issues like constipation. Not everyone will have all these symptoms—some adults may speak perfectly but still have a tongue-tie. The key is looking at the overall picture of how many symptoms you have. Check the full list of symptoms on the assessment sheet we provide. Many adults find that these issues improve after a proper tongue-tie release.

What Should You Do Next?

The first step for adults is to see a myofunctional therapist. These professionals can help prepare your tongue muscles for the release and teach proper tongue and lip posture, nasal breathing, and correct swallowing techniques. Without this therapy, a tongue-tie release won’t be as effective, similar to having knee surgery without physical therapy. You may notice some improvements immediately, but you could lose progress without addressing long-term habits.

In our office, we perform tongue-tie releases using a state-of-the-art CO2 laser. This procedure, called a frenuloplasty, removes the restriction and involves stitching the area with dissolvable sutures. It’s more thorough than just snipping with scissors, as we can see and remove the connective tissue that restricts tongue movement. The procedure is virtually painless with local anesthesia (no sedation needed), though you may feel sore for a couple of days afterward. Most adults manage fine with ice cream, Advil, and Tylenol and often notice improvements like less neck tension and better sleep within the first week.

While we can’t guarantee results, working with a myofunctional therapist helps maximize the benefits of the procedure.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re interested in learning more about tongue-tie releases for adults, please contact our office at (205) 419-4333 or send us a message. We’re happy to connect you with a myofunctional therapist to help you get started. We perform adult releases once we receive a letter from the therapist confirming that you’re ready for the procedure. For more information, you can also check out recent research, such as the Zaghi 2019 study on adult releases or our own Baxter 2020 article discussing improvements in children after a release.