ANKYLOGLOSSIA AND ITS IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE

Abstract

Ankyloglossia is a congenital oral anomaly characterized by an overly short lingual frenulum, resulting in varying degrees of limited tongue mobility. It is most common in newborns and occurs more frequently in males. From this perspective, the present study aims to assess the incidence of ankyloglossia and its potential impacts on the quality of life of children under five years of age. This was a bibliographic research of the integrative review type, where eleven scientific articles were used to compose the sample, which were found in the PUBMED, LILACS, and SCIENCE DIRECT databases, published between the years 2018 to 2023. Most of the studies analyzed investigated ankyloglossia in newborns and its impact on breastfeeding, where it was possible to verify that the majority of parents reported relief of infant and maternal symptoms after frenectomy, in addition to noting improvements in breastfeeding skills in some babies following the procedure. The studies analyzed provide valuable insights into the diagnosis and treatment of ankyloglossia in newborns and its impact on breastfeeding. The incidence of ankyloglossia varied in the studies, but did not appear to be directly related to difficulties in breastfeeding, however, among the studies analyzed it proved to be high.