Is it OK for my child to suck her thumb?
As we have seen from some very cute ultrasounds, even fetuses suck their thumbs. You may notice that babies and toddlers suck their thumbs to help calm themselves when they are upset or anxious. However, this is when the teeth are starting to come in, and thumb sucking can cause damage. It can cause the permanent teeth to become misaligned, as the constant pressure of the thumb causes the front teeth to grow in jutting forward. Eventually, misaligned teeth can cause jaw problems and pain.
How do you get your child to stop?
In an ideal world, your child will stop sucking his thumb on his own, without any effort on your part. They may notice that the children they are around don’t suck their thumbs, and they may start to feel self-conscious about it. However, as you know, things aren’t always that easy with children.
There are several different techniques to try to get your child to stop sucking their thumb. You could set up rules, such as thumb sucking is only allowed at bedtime, in order to phase out the habit. Children do well with reward systems – you could give a sticker on a chart for each day they don’t suck their thumb, with a bigger reward after a whole week of no thumb sucking. You can even get a thumb guard that will physically prevent your child from thumb sucking.
It is cute when babies and toddlers suck their thumbs. However, it can be a harmful habit as their teeth start to come in – a habit that is very difficult to break. If you are concerned about your child’s teeth, make an appointment at Soft Touch Dentistry. Contact the Brighton office at (617) 782-9250 or the Newton office at (617) 332-8146 today.
