"The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."
Ankyloglossia, i.e., “tongue-tie”, is a congenital condition in which the tissue (mucous membrane) connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is shorter than nature intended. This condition, depending on the severity, can have a significant impact on an individual's overall health- mind, body, & spirit/soul. Disadvantages include but are not limited to:
- Speech Impairments
- Feeding Challenges
- Oral Hygiene Complications
- Orthodontic Concerns
- Psychosocial/ Emotional Effects
- Digestive Concerns
- Breathing Difficulties
- Sleeping Complications
- Neck, Shoulder & Back Discomfort
Proper tongue positioning is critical to your health and well-being. By design, nature intends for our tongue to sit at the roof of our mouth when resting (not pressing against the teeth). Considering the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body, coupled with the fact that the anterior deep fascial line begins from beneath the tongue and runs all the way down to the feet, awareness of our tongue posture should be an integral part of our modern-daily routine. For example, improper tongue placement can literally drag your face down and pull it backwards.
An Historical Aspect
Some of the earliest “medical” documented accounts date back to the 17th century, where it was common for midwives across the world to look for a tied-tongue at birth. Many midwives would actually keep one of their fingernails sharp in order to immediately release it. Unfortunately, due to a peculiar set of modern-cultural circumstances, diagnosing tongue-ties has only recently come “back in style” with the resurgence of natural, conscious living- specifically in this case, breast-feeding.
The mouth resides within one of the body's pivotal energy centers- some would even call it a manifestation portal (the power of spoken word). In Sanskrit, the energetic matrix of the tongue, throat, and neck, is referred to as the 5th chakra, Vishuddha (Visha = impurity, poison Shuddhi = purification) which symbolizes communication, expression, truth. Now, when the tongue is sitting in its ideal position, the energy circuit of this center is properly contained and not leaking, per se. This containment in essence enables your breath (your spirit) to travel efficiently through your body, mind, & soul. This “leaking” can manifest on the following planes as such:
- Physical - Sinus issues, fatigue, dental complications, poor sleep, general irritability
- Emotional - complications in feeling confident when speaking, fear of rejection
- Spiritual - complications in speaking/expressing your truths, knowing your purpose
It’s notable that the tongue is the most sensitive part of the upper half of our body and our genitals are the most sensitive part of the lower half of our body. Indeed, energetically speaking there is a direct connection and correlation between these centers. For example, words are developed physically in three stages:
- Abdomen
- Throat
- Lips
Tips & Strategies
- Read Tongue-Tied by Dr. Richard Baxter
- Chew your food thoroughly! (Helps strengthen your jaw muscles)
- Mantras before bed, i.e., “my tongue is relaxed,” “I love my tongue,” “my tongue is healed”
- Acquire a diagnosis by a speech therapist or holistic dentist
- Research ‘frenectomy’
- Consider re-training your tongue with specific exercises