When your child is an infant or toddler, it’s not uncommon to see them sucking their thumb or finger. This habit often serves as a coping mechanism that helps them to calm down and find comfort. Unfortunately, when left to continue for too long, the habit of thumb-sucking can cause issues with your child’s oral and facial development. If you want to potentially avoid serious orthodontic or complex dental surgery or treatment, find out how your child’s pediatric dentists can help.
Why is Thumb-Sucking a Worrisome Problem?
You might not think it’s much to worry about when you see your little one sucking his or her thumb, but the truth is that this habit can negatively affect their teeth, bite, jaw, and overall facial features. Without stopping the act early on, your child has the potential to develop concerning issues that require more complex and invasive treatment over time.
For example, some of the problems they might face include:
- An overbite
- Difficulty saying certain words due to a speech impediment
- Palate issues
- A misaligned bite
Also, as children age, their facial features begin to change. If thumb-sucking continues, it can cause teeth to shift in a way that creates problems with their facial structure (i.e., elongated face).
What Can a Pediatric Dentist Do to Help?
If you are concerned about your child’s thumb-sucking habit, you’re not alone. Many parents worry that they may be unable to get their children to stop; however, there are effective ways to stop the habit and instead, encourage healthier ways to help them self-soothe.
This can be achieved by:
- Replacing thumb-sucking with a stuffed toy or blanket
- Reinforce healthy behaviors with praise
- Help to alleviate stressful situations that might cause your child to practice thumb-sucking
- Track their behavior on a chart and reward them for not sucking their thumb for a certain amount of time (i.e., days, weeks, months)
If your child still struggles to break their thumb-sucking habit, you might consider talking to their pediatric dentist about other alternative options, such as a thumb-sucking guard or other similar devices. Nonetheless, breaking this habit will ensure your child lowers their risk of more serious oral health problems in the future, allowing for a healthier, more aligned smile that encourages confidence and better well-being.
About the Authors
At Sprout Dentistry for Kids in Allen, Dr. Justin Chan and Dr. Sage Yoo are board-certified pediatric dentists and fathers. Recognizing the habits many children can pick up as infants and toddlers can carry with them into school-aged years (i.e., thumb-sucking), they work alongside parents to develop strategies to stop these non-nutritive habits from causing oral and facial development problems. If you’re concerned about your child’s thumb-sucking habit, visit our website or call (469) 663-0098.