ow To Stop Thumb Sucking

When Should They Stop Thumbsucking?

Experts feel that once your child is three years old, you should be trying to break them of the habit. By that age, many thumb sucking children have a gap between their upper and lower teeth. In addition, this is the time their jaw development has changed, which can cause speech problems.

How Can Thumbsucking Affect Teeth?

It might look harmless, but the sucking puts pressure on the sides of the upper jaw and the soft tissue on the roof of the mouth. This can result in a narrowed upper jaw, causing the teeth to misalign from the top to the bottom. While this can be fixed with orthodontics, it can also cause speech problems such as a lisp that may need to be corrected in therapy.

Other consequences of thumbsucking include:

• Shrinking of the airway
• Altered breathing patterns/sleep-disordered breathing
• Poor swallow patterns
• Improper teeth position
• Hindered speech
• Changes in shape of the face
• Abnormal tongue rest

Whether or not dental problems results depends on the intensity of the sucking. If children rest their thumbs gently in their mouths, they’re less likely to develop problems than those who vigorously suck their thumbs. Some aggressive thumbsuckers may even develop problems with their baby (primary) teeth and develop other physical problems like chapped skin, calluses, and fingernail infections.

How To Stop Thumb Sucking

If your child is three years or older and still thumbsucking, it’s time to break them of the habit. Keep in mind that this is a soothing, stress-reducing act for them, and it won’t be easy to get them to stop.

Here are some tips for success:

1. Start early — The younger they are, the easier of a habit it is to break.
2. Explain it — Let your children know why thumbsucking is a bad behavior, such as saying, “It’s bad for your teeth when you suck your thumb” or “There are germs on your thumb that you don’t want in your mouth.”
3. Set limits — Try to limit the time that your child sucks his/her thumb to when they’re at home in their room, not in public. Explain it’s a bed activity during nap time and at night.
4. Don’t criticize — Instead of causing a confrontation, praise them for when they’re not sucking their thumb and explain to them why that’s a desired behavior.
5. Reward good behavior — Buy some poster board and stickers to create a “progress chart.” When they go a week without sucking, offer a prize, with a special surprise at the end of the month.
6. Swap it out — When they have the urge to suck their thumb, hold their hand or give them a comfort item like a blanket. This helps by providing emotional comfort.
7. Talk to your dentist — Some children benefit from inserting an oral appliance, often called a “palatal bar” and “crib,” in their mouth that prevents sucking. These come in fixed and removable versions.

Keep in mind that every kid is different and what works for one, might not work for another. Be patient and remember they’ll most often stop when they’re ready. Talk to the pediatrician or the team at Gole Dental Group about the next steps you can take.

For questions about pediatric dentistry, or any of our other services, please reach out to us at Gole Dental today!