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Babies
are born with a reflex to suck any object placed in their mouth. This behavior
helps during the first few months of establishing feeding and usually disappears at
around 4 months.
Thumb sucking however, is not reflexive, and is believed to be
a self-soothing practice. There are usually no ill effects from thumb sucking
in early childhood, and most children naturally give up the habit somewhere
between 2-4 years of age. If thumb sucking continues past the age of
7 when adult teeth are coming through there can be misalignment of front
teeth, or possibly jaw problems.
- Teeth being pushed around, which might cause an overbite or an underbite to form
- A lisp being formed because constant thumb sucking can affect the jaw bone positioning
- Germs from your thumb and surrounding areas affecting your body
- The roof of the mouth becoming altered or more sensitive
It is important to be careful when breaking
this habit. Children often use thumb sucking as
an emotional crutch. When your child sucks their thumb, distract them with something else. Try teaching your child the reasons why they shouldn't continue to suck their
thumbs. And do your best not to nag or punish them for
sucking their thumbs as that may create stress, in turn, giving your child reason to suck their thumbs
more.
If you notice any alternations to your child’s teeth due to
their thumb sucking, give us a call today! We’d be happy to help
you and answer any questions you may have.
