General Anesthesia (GA) is not needed to treat a tongue-tie in babies (or kids or adults for that matter!) This patient came to us yesterday and told us that their ENT said they would need a barium swallow and would need to have the procedure completed under GA due to it being a “posterior tongue-tie.”

Often, general anesthesia is used by ENTs for many procedures, tonsils, adenoids, tubes, sinus surgery, but for a little baby, the risks far outweigh the benefits of this quick procedure.

The tongue-tie was treated in about 5 seconds, and the lip-tie was treated in about 15 seconds with just a numbing jelly. No general anesthesia or sedation. Most kids we do with no nitrous even.

Almost every patient we can treat in the office with just local anesthetic. You just need the right training and the right tools, and unfortunately, tongue and lip ties aren’t taught in dental school (or medical school).

To start your journey, we’re giving away a free digital copy of our book, Tongue-Tied. Check out tonguetieal.com/book-offer