Q38: Other congenital malformations of tongue, mouth and pharynx
Q38.1: Ankyloglossia
The tongue is mostly made up of muscles. The tongue is important for chewing, swallowing and speaking. It is connected to the back of the throat. There are many taste buds on the surface of the tongue. The taste buds have lots of small nerves, allowing us to perceive taste. The lingual frenulum connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. The floor of the mouth lies at the bottom of the mouth in the lower jaw bone area.
While developing in the womb, many different types of tissue develop in the body. The organs and body parts develop out of the various types of tissue. If tissue fails to develop properly, defects can occur.
If the lingual frenulum does not develop properly it may be too short or too tight. The tongue can then not be moved and raised from the floor of the mouth in the usual way. This can result in problems when drinking or when forming sounds.
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