Dentists and Lactation Consultants Pushing Tongue-tie Surgeries for Newborns

New York Times recently reported on the business of “tongue-tie releases” common in the U.S., where lactation consultants are increasingly recommending new mothers have their baby undergo the surgery.

It is becoming extremely common for dentists to perform laser surgery on infants who struggle to breastfeed due to having a tongue-tie, by removing the tissue that has grown between the tongue and bottom of the mouth. The surgery has proven to improve the baby’s ability to breastfeed and has also become a very lucrative business for oral surgeons and lactation consultants who refer patients.

However, the NYT also explored the complications that can arise from the surgeries, leading to many parents devastated over the pain their child endures post-op. Some infants are left refusing to eat due to the pain and become malnourished and forced to depend on feeding tubes.

Read the full article on this issue from the New York Times.