The Negative Effects of Thumb Sucking

A common habit for many children is to find comfort in sucking their thumb or other fingers. About 90% of children between the ages of 2-4 suck their thumbs. Although this is normal behavior for this age range, it can start to impact your child's teeth and mouth composition if this habit goes on for too long. Our knowledgable dentists in Southern Missouri are here to help you understand common thumb sucking tendencies, as well as some ways to help wean your child away from this habit.

Thumb Sucking Tendencies
While your child is under the age of four, it is not uncommon for him or her to be attached to sucking their thumb. Many children will start doing this as soon as they are born. It is a self-soothing method that develops while still in the womb. It can be a security action and help to reduce any anxiety the child may have. While this is not an unusual habit to pick up, it may be a very hard habit to break the older a child gets.

Negative Impacts of This Oral Habit
By the age of four to five, a child may go to the habit of sucking his or her thumb for a number of reasons. Whether it's boredom or simply second nature by that point, thumb sucking at this stage in life can have some damaging effects. 

As your child's mouth and jaw develop, it can possibly damage permanent teeth as they continue to grow. With misalignment of the teeth growing in and even changes in the palate, your child's bite may be impacted as they grow older. Teeth can be pushed around by continuous thumb sucking, as well as the chance of developing a lisp. Aside from structural damage to the mouth, your child may be allowing more germs to enter his or her mouth by sucking on a thumb or fingers.

How to Discourage Thumb Sucking
Trying to break the thumb sucking habit in your child may be difficult. It's okay if they resist at first, but be persistent with your methods. Try to use positive reinforcement instead of nagging or punishing your child. This can lead to stress in your child, which may lead to more thumb sucking. 

Another tip is to discuss the reasons why thumb sucking is bad at a certain point. Try to explain the long term effects of this habit to your child. Some kids will suck on their thumbs or fingers as a stress reliever, so try to narrow down the source of stress for your child and work to eliminate the habit in that way.

When it comes to parenting, there are a wide range of concerns about children. Thumb sucking may be just one of the things you have to worry about as your child grows older. It's important to practice the correct techniques to sway your child away from sucking on his or her thumb. 

If you have tried to put a stop to this detrimental habit without success, contact the Access Dental and Dentures location nearest you. Our dental clinics in Southern Missouri would be happy to take a look at your child's teeth and offer more helpful tips to solve any problems that may arise due to your child's thumb sucking habit.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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