Dr Malcolm Levinkind - Paediatric Tongue-tie Clinic

Dr Malcolm Levinkind - Paediatric Tongue-tie Clinic Specialist Paediatric Dentist offering a dedicated tongue and lip tie clinic using lasers for surgery.

FORMULA OR BREASTMILK Part 1 Is there a difference?Long before infant formulas were invented, breastfeeding was the only...
11/08/2026

FORMULA OR BREASTMILK Part 1
Is there a difference?

Long before infant formulas were invented, breastfeeding was the only way for a newborn baby to receive the nutrition needed for growth and survival. In some wealthy societies, where breastfeeding was often viewed as ‘common’, or inconvenient, families would employ a ‘wet nurse’ to breastfeed and care for their baby.

So, breast milk has been considered the biological norm for babies for many years. Thankfully, however, there are many infant formulas that can provide a valuable and convenient alternative if breastfeeding is not possible or practical.

We know, through research, that breast milk does more than just feed a baby. It helps programme many aspects of early development including the provision of beneficial bacteria and important immune factors.

Unlike formula though, breast milk changes. Day by day, it’s composition changes to match the requirements of the baby.

Isn’t that amazing !!

The Power of Mothers!There are many times in a consultation when we talk about colic, gas, burping, rashes, throwing up ...
30/07/2026

The Power of Mothers!

There are many times in a consultation when we talk about colic, gas, burping, rashes, throwing up and a lot more! So diet is often part of what we need to discuss.

One of the least appreciated aspects of breastmilk is that whatever mum eats and drinks, will often make its way into breastmilk (e.g. peanut allergens, chocolate, eggs, MSG, gluten, soy and many others).

This is well recognised because some mothers are given advice by their doctor or paediatrician to stop certain medications if they might interfere with milk production and/or be transferred into breast milk.

The other side of the coin is that breast milk can transfer many beneficial substances for growing babies.

I recently read some interesting information about how breast feeding was first promoted in the USA. According to the MidWestern doctor [www.midwesterndoctor.com] who writes well researched articles, it was started in 1956 “by seven mothers in Franklin Park, Illinois who met in their living rooms with their babies and children, to discuss issues regarding establishing and maintaining successful breastfeeding.....

“.... These mothers met because their obstetricians and paediatricians were untrained and unable to answer their questions, so they decided to take matters into their own hands and do the research themselves. The result was the eventual establishment of La Leche League International which spread their findings worldwide, and shamed doctors into properly educating themselves about infant nutrition, and formally promoting human lactation”.

This reminds me of the well-known quote attributed to Margaret Mead "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

What do you think about creating change from the bottom up?

Would you start a grass roots campaign for something you felt passionate about?

Let's discuss - it's an interesting topic when so many people are feeling disempowered.

To Cut Or Not To Cut – Part 3If you’ve been following these posts about lip and tongue ties and the decision to release ...
26/06/2026

To Cut Or Not To Cut – Part 3

If you’ve been following these posts about lip and tongue ties and the decision to release or not to release, today we received a lovely thank you.

We’re very happy that mum and baby are very happy!!

And I like to think that what we do when we release a tongue or lip tie, is to create the necessary change that will enable the baby to flourish – in a hundred different ways – for the rest of it’s life.

OK, Yes, I know it sounds a bit grandiose, but I liken it to putting in good foundations as if you’re building a house.

To Cut Or Not To Cut – Part 2Today I said NO! This follows on from my last post when I explained that I can’t give an op...
19/05/2026

To Cut Or Not To Cut – Part 2

Today I said NO!

This follows on from my last post when I explained that I can’t give an opinion on whether to cut a tongue tie from just looking at a photograph. A proper ‘hands-on’ assessment is needed.

So today, there were two babies that I said ‘NO’ to doing the surgery.

Perhaps they will go to another practitioner who may or may not ask the questions I asked and will do the surgery anyway. So if the parents don’t like my advice, they have other options!

After 40 years of paediatric dentistry, I'd like to think I’ve been around long enough to know when it’s appropriate to do surgery and when it isn’t. The bottom line is that it has to be in your baby’s best interest.

And if it’s not, the answer is “NO”.

So if you decide to come for a consultation, please come with an open mind!!

To Cut Or Not To Cut ........... that is the question!We receive lots of photos of tongue ties with the question attache...
05/05/2026

To Cut Or Not To Cut ........... that is the question!

We receive lots of photos of tongue ties with the question attached “does this need cutting”?

Much as it would be very helpful to be able to answer yes or no, it’s not a question I can answer without a ‘hands-on assessment’. Even though a baby has a tongue tie it does not automatically mean it needs to be released. And if it doesn’t need releasing and is not in your baby’s best interest, I don’t do the surgery.

So, we have a consultation to assess the oral tissues – tongue tie, lip tie, buccal ties - and then I give my opinion based on a very long time as a specialist paediatric dentist, now coming up for 42 ??? years!!

We always book out enough time to do the surgery, if it’s needed, the same day as the consultation. Sometimes parents want to do the release the same day, sometimes they need to go away and think about it….. it’s your choice!! 😊



Image: daniel-thomas-_tYNzEqehMk-unsplash

Planning Ahead – We Are Very Impressed!! Most of us plan our summer holidays several weeks or months ahead, we book res...
22/04/2026

Planning Ahead – We Are Very Impressed!!

Most of us plan our summer holidays several weeks or months ahead, we book restaurants ahead of when we plan to eat out and we organise in advance a date to service the car, shampoo the dog, go to the hairdresser and so much more!

So, it shouldn’t really be any different planning an appointment to bring your baby for an assessment before the baby is born!

We have also had a call from a mum to tell us she was planning a second baby and would I be available in 9 months’ time!

There’s a saying that goes something like this: If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.

This is Next Level Planning and we love it :)



Image by AppsHunter io on Unsplash

REFERRALS Many of our babies with tongue ties and lip ties arrive at the practice having been referred by lactation cons...
17/04/2026

REFERRALS

Many of our babies with tongue ties and lip ties arrive at the practice having been referred by lactation consultants, cranial osteopaths, chiropractors, cranio-sacral therapists and West End paediatricians. All these practitioners are very experienced and they’ve seen the babies struggling to feed before the release and then the difference in both mum and the baby afterwards.

It’s now recognised that many babies benefit from cranial osteopathy or cranio-sacral therapy.

We very often recommend that babies have this very gentle type of body work after they’ve had a tongue tie/lip tie release, because they can benefit in so many different ways, from improving colic and reflux to better sleep and simply having a more relaxed baby.
What's not to like!!



Picture: brooke-balentine-cM6WSFg2k78-unsplash

I thought it would be worth continuing with some thoughts about diet and looking after yourself as well as your new baby...
13/04/2026

I thought it would be worth continuing with some thoughts about diet and looking after yourself as well as your new baby.

I work with a nutritionist who was telling me that there are lots of clues our bodies give us if we're low in vitamins and minerals.

Loss of smell and hair loss can both be due to Zinc deficiency; cold hands or feet and feeling short of breath could be an Iron deficiency; muscle cramps, constipation and difficulty falling asleep might be a need for Magnesium.

For most people, eating a balanced diet that includes protein, vegetables, salads etc and staying away from refined sugars will all help with your energy levels. Making changes to your diet isn't always easy because most of us [me included] eat very similar foods every single day! My tip is to make the changes slowly. That way they're much easier to do and much more likely to become part of your lifestyle.

My nutritionist tells her clients to think of it as an ‘old fashioned diet’ before processed foods were invented and we couldn’t snack on crisps, chocolate and diet coke!!



Picture: Chad Montano on Unsplash

There’s always lots to talk about in a tongue tie assessment and a lot of it is not about a tongue tie!Inevitably, exhau...
06/04/2026

There’s always lots to talk about in a tongue tie assessment and a lot of it is not about a tongue tie!

Inevitably, exhaustion and sleep deprivation are high on the list of stressful subjects.

What we seldom have time to talk about is how mums are looking after themselves in terms of how they’re eating.

It’s probably the last thing you want to think about when there are so many other ‘more important’ things to think about. Feeding your baby, feeding your partner, feeding your family, finding new routines and managing all the conflicting advice you’re given from friends, parents AND grandparents!

Even though it was quite a long time ago, I remember it well. There was no shortage of well-meaning advice and in those days we didn’t have all the ‘influencers’ telling parents what to do!

To keep it really simple, eating a diet that includes the colours of the rainbow is a good place to start, so lots of salads and vegetables will provide a lot of essential nutrients. Now that we have some warmer weather, I think it’s a good time to introduce these healthy foods if you think you need to make some changes.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you have some quick, easy and healthy recipes to share!!

Lots of new-born babies this week which is always inspiring. The next generation has arrived!One of our mums had a very...
02/04/2026

Lots of new-born babies this week which is always inspiring. The next generation has arrived!

One of our mums had a very bad experience with her first baby some two or three years ago when the procedure was not done properly and the entire family lived with the consequences for many months.

Once you’ve experienced this kind of trauma, it’s very difficult to let it go. If you’ve read any of Dr Gabor Mate’s work, you know that trauma is not just ‘in your head’ but in your physical body as well. Most people need some help with this kind of trauma.

I’ve worked with babies and children for over 40 years and I still get just as much pleasure and satisfaction from being a part of the next generation’s wellbeing.

Photo by Brooke Ballantine on Unsplash

Address

30 Fortis Green
London
N29EL

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+442084443413

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