Most people have never heard of a tongue tie until symptoms start stacking up—jaw pain, difficulty chewing, sleep disturbances, and even speech problems. Could your struggles be linked to a restricted tongue? In this post, we uncover five surprising signs of a tongue tie and what you can do about it.
Got a Tongue Tie? 5 Signs That Might Surprise You!
1. Trouble Chewing & Swallowing
If eating feels like a chore, your tongue might be to blame. A restricted tongue can’t move properly, which affects your ability to chew and swallow efficiently. This can lead to digestion issues, discomfort, and even choking—a common complaint among those with undiagnosed tongue ties.
2. Jaw & Neck Tension
Ever feel tightness in your jaw, neck, or shoulders after eating or talking? When your tongue is restricted, your jaw has to compensate, leading to strain and discomfort. Over time, this can result in headaches, TMJ pain, and postural issues that impact your daily life.
3. Mouth Breathing & Snoring
Chronic mouth breathing, snoring, and poor sleep might be linked to your tongue. If it can’t rest properly on the roof of your mouth, it can block nasal airflow, forcing you to breathe through your mouth. This can lead to dry mouth, poor oxygenation, and restless sleep—making you feel exhausted no matter how long you sleep.
4. Speech Issues & Lisping
Struggling with certain words, a lisp, or unclear speech? A tongue tie can limit movement, making it harder to form sounds correctly. If speaking feels exhausting or frustrating, your tongue may not be functioning as it should.
5. Crooked Teeth & Poor Facial Development
Did you know a tongue tie can affect the way your face develops? Crowded teeth, a high narrow palate, and poor jaw structure often point to a restricted tongue. Proper tongue posture is essential for facial growth—without it, the airway and dental alignment suffer.
What to Do Next
If any of these signs sound familiar, it’s time to take action. Ignoring a tongue tie can lead to worsening symptoms over time. Whether you’re concerned about your own health or your child’s development, getting assessed is the first step.
👉 Download the Getting Started Guide or schedule an exam today to find out if a tongue tie is impacting your health!
Here’s how you can get started:
- Download the Getting Started Guide to begin assessing your symptoms and understanding the connection between your oral function and digestion.
- Book an Exam to evaluate your tongue mobility, breathing patterns, and posture to uncover the root cause of your symptoms.
Meet Carmen Woodland
Carmen found this path of passion years ago as a dental hygienist.
Her story is personal and close to home. Her sweet granddaughter, Linzee, was passed back and forth amongst doctors and therapists for years trying to figure out her speech, breathing, sleep, chewing and swallowing issues. It wasn’t until Carmen completed post graduate training that she knew Linzee’s problem was a significant tongue-tie. Bingo. Fast forward to now. Carmen is a crusader. An international wellness warrior like you’ve never met! Carmen has continued her wellness education to include certifications in nutrition, toxins, environmental health, blood chemistry and sleep.
Carmen helps tired humans feel better. Yep–that can sound like a pretty generic term, but the results she gets for clients distills down to them feeling like their most amazing self…energetic + vibrant + rested + living without anxiety, dread, and other similar symptoms. Carmen doesn’t “just do myofunctional therapy.” Her magic happens when she tackles the root cause of poor sleep, digestion, weight gain, snoring, chronic fight or flight, mindfulness and more. It’s “More Than Myo™”!
Regardless of how much myofunctional therapy you do, if your blood sugar regulation is a mess, then sleep won’t be optimized. If you’re trying to solve snoring with weight loss, but can’t lose an ounce, maybe you need to take a look at the vicious cycle of sugar and processed carbohydrate addiction or “adrenal fatigue”. If your digestion is a mess, simply releasing your tongue tie won’t solve the whole equation. If you’re trying to learn how to nasal breathe but are a congested mess, perhaps you need some food sensitivity testing to see where your inflammation is coming from. This is the work that Carmen and her team at Impact Myofunctional Therapy / Impact Health Restoration work on. No easy answers. No easy clients. Carmen works with clients all over the world in her practice.
In addition, she also
- Teaches at the Myofunctional Therapy Training Academy.
- Coaches dental offices on how to implement myofunctional screening into their daily practice
- Speaks in various settings
Carmen is also an airway provider for the Foundation of Airway Health, where she works diligently for the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of airway-related disorders. And last but not least, Carmen is a proud member of several professional associations that afford the opportunity to learn so that she can help you. Her professional memberships include: