The Effects of Thumb-Sucking in ChildrenBabies suck their thumbs even in the womb, and once born, nearly all babies suck on either a pacifier, fingers, or a thumb to some extent to comfort themselves. Some parents worry about this because they have heard that thumb-sucking will ruin their baby’s teeth. Many pediatricians, however, tell parents to ignore thumb-sucking because the baby will outgrow it, which is usually true. Most toddlers stop sucking their thumbs somewhere between the ages of two to four without any parental intervention.

But What if They Don’t?

Once permanent teeth have arrived, they can be affected by the constant pressure of thumb-sucking. Common problems include the teeth becoming misaligned (a malocclusion) or pushed forward and out. Speech can be affected, the tongue can begin to thrust out, or stay pressed down unnaturally. The complications of thumb-sucking will depend on how often your child sucks his thumb.

Frequency is one important factor. If your preschooler is sucks his or her thumb during the day and night, there will be more movement in the teeth. Obviously, occasional sucking puts less stress on the teeth than a constant habit. Thumb-sucking past the typical age may become a concern, but what can parents do?

First, realize that thumb-sucking is typically an effort to self-sooth, and will often increase when your child is stressed. Parents can make efforts to help their child manage the stress. Try to determine if anything in particular is a cause of the stress and talk to your pediatrician or a therapist about coping techniques.

Second, involve your older child in tackling the problem. Start with education on how it can be harmful, perhaps during a visit to your pediatric dentist, explaining how teeth develop and how thumb-sucking can affect their development. Pediatric dentist are trained to handle the embarrassment your child may feel as a result of the habit.

Your child’s pediatric dentist is the best resource to help you determine a way to break the habit. Anything to make your child more conscious of the habit, or to make it less pleasant or desirable, will help.

At Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Virginia, we will guide you through the process of breaking your child’s thumb-sucking habit. We have appliances that are removable orthodontic devices that can be fitted to make thumb-sucking less convenient and even some semi-permanent ones to make it virtually impossible. Contact us today at 804.739.0963 if you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric dentist.