Thumb Sucking Can Lead to Misaligned Teeth

Posted on 10/11/2021 by Fariba Mutschler

If your child sucks their thumb, you need to stop the habit. However, there are right techniques and wrong methods to get them to stop.

Why Thumb Sucking Leads to Dental Problems

Prolonged thumb sucking may cause problems with the dental profile or the growth and alignment of the teeth. When a child sucks on their thumb regularly, they can change the shape of the roof of the mouth. Children who place their fingers or thumb passively inside the mouth have fewer dental problems than children who habitually suck on their thumbs.

Aggressive Thumb Sucking

When thumb sucking becomes a problem, it is because a child becomes actively engaged in sucking their thumb. Therefore, thumb sucking can lead to issues with the primary or baby teeth. Like active thumb sucking, pacifiers can also misalign the teeth. Usually, children stop sucking their thumb between two and four years old. The activity lessens gradually, as children spend their waking hours exploring the outdoors. After a time, thumb sucking is forgotten. Peer pressure also stops children from sucking their thumbs.

How You Can Keep Your Child from Sucking their Thumb

Instead of scolding your child for sucking their thumb, reward them when they do not suck their thumb. This will give them more confidence to refrain from the habit. Sucking the thumb is often done out of insecurity, so praising children when they do not suck their thumbs will give them the confidence needed to stop the activity.

If your child sucks his or her thumb, make sure you schedule regular visits with us to check their dental profile and development. We can help you divert your child's interest away from thumb sucking toward a more beneficial activity. Call us today to arrange a consultation. We can fit you into our scheduling most times during the week.

My daughter was a little nervous to have her dental work done but everyone in the office was super friendly and very reassuring and that helped her nervousness go away. Thanks for the excellent dental experience. ~ Lilyana G.

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Dr. Fariba Mutschler & Dr. Mark Mutschler have created this informative blog to help educate the community. If you like an article or the dental blog in general please use the share it button to post to Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.
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