Table of Contents
- Why Do Children Suck Their Thumb?
- Does-Thumb-Sucking-Affect-Your-Teeth
- Misaligned Bite
- Chewing and Swallowing Difficulties
- Problems in Development
- Speech Problems
- Irregular Wear of Tooth Surface
- Increased Risk of Infections
- When Should Children Stop Thumb-Sucking
- How To Help Your Child Stop Thumb-sucking
- Positive Reinforcements
- Offer Gentle Reminders
- Identify Triggers
- Distracting Techniques
- Use A Thumb-Guard
- Consult A Paediatric Dentist
- Thumb-Sucking vs Pacifiers
- Orthodontic Treatment After Thumb-Sucking
- Treat Your Misalignment With ALIGNERCO Canada
- Key Takeaways
- FAQs
Babies have a natural rooting or sucking reflex, which is why you’d often find their thumb or fingers in their mouth. Most children begin sucking their thumb from a young age, with many even beginning inside the womb. But as a concerned parent, you might be wondering if thumb-sucking is bad for your child.
Let’s walk through the intricacies of thumb-sucking and how to stop this habit.
Why Do Children Suck Their Thumb?
Multiple reasons cause babies to put their fingers or thumb inside their mouth, including:
Natural Reflexes
As discussed earlier, babies have natural reflexes of rooting and sucking. These natural reflexes can cause them to put their fingers or thumb inside their mouth.
Sense of Security
This habit gives them a sense of comfort and security, especially in stressful and unfamiliar situations.
While Going to Sleep
Due to constant sucking from an early age, children develop this habit and even suck their thumb when they need soothing or going to sleep.
When They Are Hungry
Children often suck their thumbs or fingers when they are hungry and associate sucking with feeding.
Does Thumb-Sucking Affect Your Teeth
When a child is in a growing age, putting fingers or objects in the mouth is totally normal, especially if they’re under the age of 4. Not all thumb-sucking damages the teeth and jaw. For example, passive thumb-sucking doesn't cause any damage to teeth or mouth.
On the other hand, active thumb-sucking with a lot of motion damages the baby's teeth. If this vigorous motion continues, it can also cause damage to the permanent teeth. Here are some of the drastic effects caused by persistent thumb-sucking:
Misaligned Bite
Constant thumb-sucking exerts pressure on the teeth and affects their natural, ideal alignment. It can push the front teeth outwards. This leads to the development of bite problems like open bite or underbite etc.
Chewing and Swallowing Difficulties
Vigorous thumb-sucking can alter the alignment of the teeth and jaw making it challenging to chew and swallow. Enjoying the daily meals can become a real hassle if this habit is not stopped in time.
Problems in Development
Prolonged thumb-sucking exerts pressure on the roof of the mouth, causing changes in palatal shape and size. This narrows the upper jaw, which will later require orthodontic intervention to correct.
Speech Problems
The misalignment of teeth caused by prolonged thumb-sucking alters the shape of the mouth. This leads to speech difficulties and makes it challenging to pronounce certain words. Many speech abnormalities like lisping are caused by unnatural alignment of teeth.
Irregular Wear of Tooth Surface
Constant thumb-sucking also affects the surface of the teeth. When the thumb is rubbed against the teeth forcefully and constantly, it causes irregular wear on the surface of the teeth and damages the surface.
Increased Risk of Infections
Putting the thumb in the mouth all the time can expose children to all sorts of bacteria and infections. These bacteria and infections are dangerous for oral-systemic health as they cause gum diseases and other digestive issues.
When Should Children Stop Thumb-Sucking
Many children stop sucking their thumbs on their own. It's important to stop thumb-sucking by the age of 4 to avoid any oral health complications. If your child is past the age of 4 and still frequently sucks his thumb, talk to their pediatrician or dentist. They may recommend treatments or strategies you can try to help your child stop sucking their thumb.
How To Help Your Child Stop Thumb-sucking
If thumb-sucking is persistent even after preschool years, it becomes almost necessary to intervene and help your child stop this habit for his betterment. If you are trying to get your child to stop this habit, realize that whatever method you choose has the best chance of success if your child also wants to stop. Following are some of the ways you can try:
Positive Reinforcements
Focus on engaging your child in wanting to stop the behavior by praising them for the period during which they don't suck their thumb instead of punishing them for their habit. Give them rewards or little prizes for the time they don't thumb suck. Also, make the process an enjoyable experience for them by letting them track the absence of behavior by using sticker charts.
Offer Gentle Reminders
Old habits die hard! Hence if your child sucks his thumb because the habit is already developed, give them a gentle reminder and calmly ask them to stop. Don't criticize them for their habit as this will stress them out and urge them to suck their thumb more often.
Identify Triggers
Try to find out the root cause of their thumb-sucking habit to address it effectively. If they suck their thumb in stressful situations or when they are anxious, try to calm them down. Give them a hug or do something that usually proves soothing for them.
Distracting Techniques
Offer your child alternatives to thumb-sucking. For example, give them a pillow, their favorite blanket, or a stuffed toy to squeeze. Techniques like arts and crafts or keeping them occupied with sports can also prove beneficial. Allow them to articulate their feelings if they are old enough to do so.
Use A Thumb-Guard
There are many types of thumb shields available in the market to prevent your child from thumb-sucking. The child can wear them all the time. This will work as a reminder for your child not to suck his thumb. Also, cover your child’s thumb by using a sock, mitten, or a bandage during the night to physically prevent thumb-sucking while they are asleep.
Consult A Paediatric Dentist
If you don't notice any significant change in your child’s behavior, consult your dentist or a pediatrician. They can offer you their expertise and tips to manage thumb-sucking. And a dentist may recommend a dental appliance or other products that can help.
Thumb-Sucking vs Pacifiers
The common practice that most parents do is to replace the thumb-sucking habit with a pacifier-sucking habit. Although pacifiers are good for children while sleeping and have other benefits also, both pacifiers and thumb-sucking cause equal damage to the teeth and jaw of your child. Also, pacifiers fall on the ground, making them a practical germ-magnet. However, pacifiers are easier to control as compared to thumb-sucking because they can be removed when necessary.
Orthodontic Treatment After Thumb-Sucking
If you observe misalignment of teeth due to a thumb-sucking habit after permanent teeth emerge, there is no need to worry. Dentistry offers many effective ways to treat oral health problems. Let’s discuss them one by one:
Clear Aligners
Bite issues and other teeth misalignments caused by prolonged thumb-sucking can effectively be treated by using clear aligners. These latest dental tools are specifically made to help you fix the misalignments with ease and comfort. Clear aligners are custom-fit trays made up of plastic to make them invisible. This allows you to straighten your teeth without grabbing anyone’s attention.
Braces
Traditional braces also prove helpful in positioning your child’s teeth ideally. They gradually exert pressure on the teeth, moving them into place. These are made up of metal or ceramic wires and brackets and are visible when applied to teeth. Your child must wear braces for 1-3 years to correct the bite issues or misalignments.
Retainers
Once your child has undergone an orthodontic procedure, it's important to maintain the results you have earned. This is where retainers come into play. They are designed to keep the teeth in their new aligned state until they adapt to their new position.
Surgery
In some rare cases, thumb-sucking can affect the jaw and alter its size and shape. In that case, surgery may be necessary to position the jaw in its right place.
Treat Your Misalignment With ALIGNERCO Canada
Getting rid of the thumb-sucking habit is itself very challenging and the impacts that come with it can give you a tough time. This is where ALIGNERCO Canada steps in by offering a game-changing solution for teeth miscorrections.
Why Choose ALIGNERCO
Thumb-sucking can cause severe bite issues, but you don't have to worry about them anymore. ALIGNERCO Clear Aligners can help fix dental misalignment issues as a result of thumb-sucking and give you a new look. These discreet, crystal clear, and comfortable dental tools gradually shift your teeth to their normal aligned positions.
At-Home Procedure
Why wait for dentist appointments and compromise your comfort when you can treat your teeth misalignment at home? Yes, you heard it right! ALIGNERCO treats your misalignment from the comfort of your couch. You will receive your clear aligners at your doorstep.
Affordability
ALIGNERCO offers the most budget-friendly clear aligner treatment in the market. With our flexible payment plans, we make sure your budget doesn't hold you back from getting a perfect smile for yourself.
Key Takeaways
Prolonged thumb-sucking can cause severe dental issues. By understanding the potential impacts and implementing strategies to help your child break the habit, you can protect their smile and ensure healthy dental development. If you notice any misalignment, feel free to contact ALIGNERCO and get the best treatment for yourself and your loved ones.
FAQs
1. Is thumb-sucking normal in children?
For babies and toddlers, thumb sucking is considered a normal developmental behavior. But, if this habit passes the age of 4, it should not be considered normal, and serious steps should be taken to control it.
2. How to fix overbite from thumbsucking?
Overbite from thumb-sucking can be treated with braces, aligners, or surgery. However, if you want to treat your bite alignment issues within your comfort and budget, you can go for ALIGNERCO clear aligners.
3. How to stop thumb-sucking?
Thumb-sucking can be stopped by incorporating multiple practices in daily life like positive reinforcements, gentle reminders, identifying triggers, or using a thumb-guard. However, if none of these help, consult a pediatrician or a dentist.
4. What is the cause of thumbsucking?
Babies and toddlers often suck their thumbs because this gives them a sense of comfort and security. Moreover, some children develop this habit while sleeping or when they are hungry because of the natural sucking reflexes.
References:
Whelan, C . (2018, April 3). What are the effects of thumb sucking on the teeth and mouth? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/thumb-sucking-teeth#how-long
What to know about effects of thumb sucking on teeth. (2023, June 30). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/what-to-know-thumb-sucking-impact-teeth
Colgate. (n.d.-b). Thumb sucking: the good, the bad, and the normal. https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/kids-oral-care/thumb-sucking-the-good-the-bad-and-the-normal#
Thumb sucking: How to help your child break the habit. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/thumb-sucking/art-20047038
Thumb sucking | everything a parent should try to get it to stop. (n.d.). https://www.westmountdentalwaterloo.com/thumb-sucking-how-to-stop-your-child-from-sucking-their-thumb-everything-a-parent-needs-to-try
