Of all childhood bad habits, the one your child’s dentist dreads most is thumb-sucking. While this self-soothing mechanism is natural for babies and young children, if it continues into older ages, it can cause dental issues.
In these cases, orthodontic treatments are often required to correct tooth and jaw misalignment.
Why Do Babies Thumb-Suck?
When babies are born, sucking objects placed in their mouths is a natural instinct. This is what leads babies and young children to suck their thumb, fingers or a dummy as a form of comfort. Up until the age of 4, this behaviour is harmless and causes no ill effects. However, as the adult teeth begin to come through, this behaviour can have a detrimental impact on the development of the jaw and the eruption of the front teeth.
This is why it’s important to prevent children over the age of 4 from continuing this self-soothing mechanism. Thankfully, many children stop thumb-sucking naturally, but if your child has maintained the habit, check out our helpful tips later in this article.
The Impact of Thumb-Sucking
Thumb-sucking has several negative impacts on the jaw and adult teeth of developing children. These include:
- Lower Front Teeth are Tipped Back
The pressure of the thumb or fingers resting on the lower incisors (bottom front teeth) causes them to tip towards the tongue. - Upper Front Teeth Protrusion
In tandem with the problem above, the upper incisors may be pushed outwards toward the lip. In severe cases, the development of the jaw may also be impacted, leading the teeth and jaw to protrude from the mouth. - Open Bite
This is when the front teeth fail to meet when the child bites their back teeth together. It is caused by misaligned front teeth that have moved to accommodate the shape of the thumb and fingers. - Cross Bite
The sucking motion of thumb-sucking can also impact the width of the upper jaw, making it too narrow for the lower jaw. This may affect the child’s bite, with upper and lower teeth unable to meet comfortably.
Tips to Stop Children from Thumb-Sucking
When it comes to coaxing your child into giving up their thumb-sucking habit, positive reinforcement is more effective than negativity and punishment. As children may use thumb-sucking as a coping mechanism and emotional crutch, it is important to be sensitive when dealing with it. Rewards such as hugs and praise should be instrumental in your efforts to halt the thumb-sucking. Try your best to avoid criticism, as this is likely to make the child defensive and resentful.
The first course of action should always be to openly discuss the topic with your child. By explaining the negative impact that thumb-sucking has on their teeth, you can help your child understand why it’s important to quit the habit.
These other tips may also be used to gently help stop the behaviour:
- When they are thumb-sucking, distract the child by involving them in an activity or giving them a toy.
- Recognise the habit as a coping mechanism and talk to your child about why they are doing it at that moment. Work together to find the root cause of the behaviour. This will enable you to find alternative self-soothing activities.
- Encourage your child to wear gloves, mittens, plasters or thumb guards to prevent access while sleeping.
- Provide a big reward for a period of no thumb-sucking, such as an outing or a toy your child wants.
- Mark progress using a star chart or calendar to recognise days completed without the habit.
- Frame quitting thumb-sucking as a sign that the child is growing up and becoming a big boy or girl.
- Use intra-oral appliances (which fit to the roof of the mouth) to disrupt the behaviour if it proves persistent.
If your child is resistant to giving up thumb-sucking at any point, it is best to ignore the behaviour. Giving it more attention may cause the child to become more persistent.
If none of these interventions work, try talking to one of our specialist dentists for help and advice.
Correcting Thumb-Sucking Damage
If your child’s thumb-sucking has impacted their jaw and the emergence of their adult teeth, don’t worry — children’s orthodontic treatment can help correct the issue.
Early intervention in the form of pre-teen treatment can help correct the jaw’s growth pattern and prevent potential bite issues when the child is older. This will ensure that there is enough room for the emerging teeth, preventing overcrowding and misalignment.
Orthodontic Options for Thumb-Sucking
Every mouth is different, so the orthodontic treatment a child requires varies based on their specific circumstances. At Smile On Clinics, we offer comprehensive, tailored treatment plans that cater to your child’s individual needs.
One potential treatment is an expander plate (also known as a rapid maxillary expander). These are used to widen the upper jaw by encouraging bone growth. Importantly, this can help prevent overcrowding and correct bite problems. Depending on your child’s needs, this device may be fixed or removable.
Another common form of treatment is orthodontic braces. These may be used exclusively or after expander plates to improve the smile. Braces slowly and incrementally move teeth into a more desirable position. While many automatically think of “train-track” braces — which are fixed to the front of teeth — other more aesthetically appealing options are available. For example, lingual braces are fixed to the backs of teeth, making them a less visible solution. The latest in orthodontic technology is Smile On Straighteners, which provide a practically invisible, low-hassle and pain-free solution.
If your child is struggling to stop thumb-sucking, or their teeth have already been impacted by the habit, our expert children’s dentists at Smile On Clinics are here to help. We can advise you on ways to stop thumb-sucking or rectify the issues arising from the habit.
We have premium, industry-leading dental clinics located across NSW and the Sunshine Coast.