You have probably heard of tethered oral tissues (TOTS) or some other iteration of the name. And, like many mamas, you may have questions about how these oral restrictions can effect or perhaps are already effecting your little one. So let’s chat about TOTS today… First of all, ties can effect not just the tongue, but the lips and cheeks as well. It is very common for tongue-tie babies to also have restrictions in the lips and/or cheeks, but it can also occur in just one of those spots. TOTS are commonly hereditary. The frenulum is a mucous membrane that goes from the floor of your mouth to the middle on the bottom of your tongue. Ankyloglossia (tongue tie) means that the frenulum is tight or short, so that movement of the tongue is restricted. Are ties a “fad”? Lots of parents ask this because of the frequency at which TOTS are diagnosed these days. But the answer is no, it’s not a fad. We just know so much more about this issue now! Additionally, mothers are initiating br...