In this episode of the More Than Teeth podcast, Dr. Michael Bennett hosts Sherri Gunn, a nurse practitioner, lactation consultant, and myofunctional therapist, for a deep dive into the nuances of tongue ties across different age groups. Sherry shares a success story of an infant who could breastfeed pain-free after a CO2 laser release. They emphasize the critical roles of proper tongue function in overall health, touching on subjects like breastfeeding, sleep apnea, orthodontics, and speech development. Sherry details the considerations and contraindications for tongue tie releases at various stages of childhood, stressing the importance of personalized treatment plans.

01:29 Celebrating Success Stories

04:45 The Importance of Proper Tongue Function

09:55 Evaluating the Need for Tongue Tie Release

16:09 Personal Experiences and Professional Insights

22:18 Challenges with Adult Orthodontics

23:27 Therapy Techniques for Infants and Toddlers

28:09 Challenges with Toddlers and Tongue Release

32:16 Myofunctional Therapy for Young Children

34:53 The Role of Prevention in Healthcare

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Michael Bennett, DDS, PhD

Board-Certified Dentist | Healthcare Professions Educator

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About Guest: Sherri Gunn

Sherri is passionate about helping individuals and families on the road to better health. She is a wife and mother of 6 and all of her kids were tongue tied. She started as a NICU RN, became an IBCLC to help mothers and infants on their breastfeeding journeys, then took a deep dive into tongue ties and became a myofunctional therapist. She knew she wanted to create a space for families and with her partner Anne Tullis, the Utah Breastfeeding and Tongue Tie Center was born. There with incredible team members they have created a space that offers craniosacral therapy, speech therapy, myofunctional therapy as well as lactation education and support. They do weekly tongue/lip tie releases with local pediatric dentists and support their families through their journeys. Sherri loves traveling with her family, baking, driving carpool to dance and taking care of their mini farm.

Website: https://www.utahbreastfeedingandtonguetie.com/