Stop Thumbsucking Blog

Sucking thumb is a habit that affects one out of every ten children, and few children can stop thumbsucking without parental intervention. Most children don’t stop thumb sucking until damage has been done to the permanent alignment of their teeth. Orthodontists claim that their most serious cases of tooth malformation are caused by thumbsucking. The cost of repairing tooth alignment is typically thousands of dollars. In severe cases the child will require surgery to realign their teeth, the cost often resulting in ten, twenty or thirty thousand dollars. 

In addition, thumbsucking can cause months and years of pain and discomfort for your child. Pediatricians claim that thumb sucking children are more susceptible to colds, flus and other diseases because a dirty thumb is in their mouth. And there is significant emotional embarrassment that your child will endure because of their addiction.

You may be concerned about your child’s thumbsucking. Is it harmful? At what age should your child stop thumbsucking? What could happen if your child doesn’t stop thumb sucking.

Children begin thumbsucking because sucking is a baby’s natural reflex. The sucking reflex serves various purposes as infants get older. Thumb sucking may make an infant feel secure and happy. Thumbsucking, finger sucking and sucking on pacifiers help a baby learn about their world. Children may also begin thumb sucking to soothe themselves. Thumbsucking is relaxing for a child and therefore may help induce sleep.

After the child’s permanent teeth come in, thumbsucking may cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and the permanent alignment of the teeth. Thumb sucking can also cause malformations in the roof of the mouth. The intensity of the thumb sucking is a factor as to whether dental problems may occur. A child who rests the thumb passively in their mouth is less likely to promote mouth damage than a child who is vigorously thumbsucking. Aggressive thumb sucking may cause problems with baby (primary) teeth. If changes in a child’s primary teeth become apparent from thumbsucking, consult your dentist.

Children should have ceased sucking by the time the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Usually children stop between the ages of two and four years.

Pacifiers can affect the teeth essentially the same ways as finger sucking and thumbsucking. However, it is often easier to break the habit of sucking a pacifier opposed to thumb sucking or finger sucking.

Tips:

• Praise children for not thumb sucking.
• Children often begin thumbsucking when they feel insecure or need comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the child’s anxiety and provide comfort to your child.
• For an older child, involve him or her in choosing the method of how to stop thumbsucking.
• A dentist can offer encouragement to a child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop thumbsucking.
• If the above tips don’t work, purchasing the Handaid can cure your child’s thumbsucking habit.