Children’s Dentistry and the Thumb Sucking Habit

Many kids suck their thumb, and children’s dentistry can help keep their teeth in good shape even if they do. This starts as a simple and relatively harmless habit. Babies will typically use either their thumb or a pacifier in order to self-sooth.  This is completely natural and you may find that your child sucks their thumb more when they are upset. The key is to make sure that they stop sucking their thumb early before it creates a problem. In our dental office, we treat kids that will often keep sucking their thumb after they have gotten older.  Some kids as old as eight still use it as a way to feel better or simply an unconscious habit that they cannot break. This can create a variety of challenges along with the need for orthodontics later on in life. If you can get your child to stop the habit early these risks will be reduced. Before you can help your child stop sucking their thumb it is important to understand why they do it in the first place.  Many kids use it as a way to feel better when they are upset, sad, or scared.  If you notice that your child is having a hard time, try comforting them in another way like cuddling and reading a book or rocking them in a chair. This way they won’t feel the need to soothe with their thumb.  Children also use it as something to do when they are bored, tired, or zoning out, when this happens you can often distract your child in this situation.  For example, instead of letting them watch a television show and suck their thumb you can let them color while watching the show.  This way they are physically occupied and distracted.  You can also use a rewards system where they get stickers for not sucking their thumb.  These tips should be tailored based on the age of your child, and we can provide more tips from our children’s dentistry office. The Risks of Thumb Sucking If your child sucks their thumb as they grow it will increase the risk of them needing braces.  One of the most common side effects of thumb sucking is an overbite. People with an overbite have upper teeth that protrude beyond their lower teeth.  This can be uncomfortable and can negatively impact a child’s appearance.  Additionally, some children end up with an open bite where there is a hole between their upper and lower teeth when they bite down.  This can be large or small but will often impact a child’s speech.  Finally, a crossbite can occur where teeth move to the side or even behind the lower teeth.  In each of these situations, the only way to address them is with braces.  It is fairly common for kids to need braces but the longer they suck their thumb, the more likely they are to need to wear braces for a prolonged period of time.  To learn more about the risks and how to get your child to stop, visit our children’s dentistry office today.

---