Disclaimer
I am strictly thinking out loud. I do not know the answers, and I do not know if there’s truly a correlation.
I have worked in the dental sleep/airway field for about 7 years now, and this is simply a topic I have been thinking a lot about lately - and am putting my ~personal~ thoughts, questions, and curiosities out there, as I think it could be a worthwhile topic for the medical community to look into.
What is SIDS?
SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and is used to describe the sudden death of an infant younger than 1 that doesn’t have a known cause.
Some beliefs include:
Problems in the ability of baby to arouse from sleep
Undetected levels of low oxygen
Undiagnosed/undetected apnea
Build up of carbon dioxide in the blood due to babies sleeping face down
What are Tongue/Lip Ties?
A tongue tie is simply tethered oral tissues (frenulum). While everyone has a frenulum, some are unusually short, thick, and/or tight which can result in many health risks if left untreated.
Tongue-ties can lead to neck and back pain, headaches, teeth grinding, speech issues, digestive problems, crooked teeth, airway disorders, snoring, sleep apnea, feeding issues, and more.
In fact, in many countries it’s a national law that every child be examined for a tongue-tie.
Tongue ties cause the development of a high, narrow roof of mouth with the nasal area following suit, causing airway restrictions and mouth breathing.
The earlier a tongue tie is identified and treated the better. In infants, tongue ties can result in feeding issues and overall face, mouth, and airway development.
Correlation Between Vaccines and Apnea
There have been some studies on the correlation between vaccines and apnea, mostly when it comes to pre-term infants.
In one study 12% of the studied infants experienced a recurrence of apnea, and 11% had at least a 50% increase in the number of apneic bradycardic episodes in the 72 hours after immunization (1).
In this particular study, the group was relatively small and the conclusion was further studying is merited, but cardiorespiratory monitoring of these infants after immunization may be advisable.
Could There be a Correlation Between SIDS, Tongue Ties, & Vaccines?
If some of the suspected SIDS associations are low levels of oxygen - which can be caused by a tongue tie, and undetected apnea - which can also be caused by a tongue tie, and possibly vaccinations - could there potentially be a correlation? If so, what does that mean? What should parents do?
We know tongue ties can cause airway disorders, snoring, sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and more.
And we know mouth breathing decreases oxygen and nitric oxide, putting the body into an inflammatory fight or flight state. We also know many childhood vaccinations contain ingredients that can cause inflammation in the body, especially when multiple vaccines are given at once.
With such similarities to the believed SIDS associations, might it be wise to make it common practice that all newborns be assessed for tongue ties by a TRAINED professional (any pediatrician, dentist, lactation consultant, etc., can “diagnose” and even release a tie, but there is no specific training/certification required - causing a lot of misdiagnosing). And might it be wise to delay vaccinations until ties are ruled out and/or treated, as to not put more strain on the already inflamed system?
What to Look for in a Tongue/Lip Tie Dentist
There are many providers in the medical field that claim to diagnose and treat ties, but what you want to look for is a properly trained DENTIST (not all dentists are truly trained, and they do not have to be officially trained or certified for diagnose and treat. Ugh!).
Some green flags:
If your dentist is a Breathe Institute AFFILIATE. An affiliate has gone through an extensive hands-on surgical residency with Dr. Zaghi (or Dr. Pinto if trained for infants). Ambassdors have simply gone through a 4-day lecture based course with no hands-on training, but if there is no affiliate near you an ambassador is the next best bet.
*Note: There are certainly other reputable training programs out there, but these are the two I can speak on with confidence.
Is your dentist recommending myofunctional therapy before and after the release? If not, I would consider this a red flag (at least for kids 3+ and adults). In fact, myo therapy can make such a difference in the outcome of the release that it is a requirement at our practice.
Second, is your dentist recommending bodywork before and after the release? We often recommend bodywork prior to and after a release, and will even have the bodyworker we collaborate with be present in the office the day of the release.
Why Myo Therapy Before Tongue Tie Release
There is a proper way for the tongue and lips to function. When you have a tongue and/or lip tie you cannot function properly, and your mouth and body begins to compensate.
Myofunctional therapy retrains the muscle memories, and prepares the tongue and lips for the release so that you do not resort back to the previous dysfunction.
Completing myofunctional therapy before (and often times after) a release ensures that the patient recovers faster and reaps the maximum benefits of the release.
Why Body Work Before Tongue Tie Release
Tongue and lip ties create tension in the mouth, and because the fascia is how we are connected from head to toe, this results in tension throughout the entire body.
Bodyworkers help release the tension pre-surgery, ensuring the surgery is easier for both the surgeon and patient. The less tension in the mouth, neck, and head before and after surgery means less tension on the wound and overall better healing.
To reap the maximum benefits, bodywork before AND after a release is recommended.
Sources: 1Sánchez PJ, Laptook AR, Fisher L, Sumner J, Risser RC, Perlman JM. Apnea after immunization of preterm infants. J Pediatr. 1997 May
2Marshall NS, Wong KK, Liu PY, Cullen SR, Knuiman MW, Grunstein RR. Sleep apnea as an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality: the Busselton Health Study. Sleep. 2008 Au
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