What Are the Side Effects of Thumbsucking?

Thumb sucking is a natural reflex for babies. It has a soothing effect that can help them feel safe. But, if it goes on for too long, this habit can have dire consequences on their oral and general development.

How long is too long?

Some children will stop sucking their thumb on their own when they are around 6 or 7 months old. Others will do it between 2 and 4 years old. If they don't stop on their own in this time frame, most dentists recommend taking action as this prolonged habit can greatly affect their oral health. Here's how.

Why Prolonged Thumbsucking Is Bad

• Teeth Alignment Issues: Thumb sucking can lead to overbites, underbites, or other misalignment issues that will require orthodontic treatment to fix.
• Speech Impediments: Prolonged thumbsucking can change the position of the teeth and alter the mouth's shape. This in turn can lead to lisping and other speech impediments.
• Can Affect Their Facial Development: When a child sucks their tongue, they position their tongue lower in the mouth, which adds extra pressure on the jaw. Over time, this can affect the shape of their jaw and cause their palate to become higher and narrower.
• Heighten Mouth Sensitivity: Because they always touch the roof of their mouth with their thumb, this can lead to increased sensitivity around that area.
• Nutritional Imbalance: Thumb sucking might reduce a child’s interest in eating, as they may find comfort and satiety from the habit instead.

How to Help Your Child Break This Habit

Lecturing your child whenever you see them sucking their thumb won't help them break this habit. They may feel ashamed about it and try to hide it from you, but they won't stop.

Here's what to do instead.

• Identify Triggers: Pay attention to the moments your child is more likely to suck their thumb, such as when they are stressed or while watching TV, and address the root cause.
• Offer Alternatives: Give your child other comfort objects like a soft blanket or a stuffed animal to hold instead.
• Use Positive Reinforcement: Reward your child when they don't suck their thumb, using stickers or small treats as incentives.
• Keep Them Distracted: Keep your child's hands busy with activities like drawing or playing with toys, making it less convenient to suck their thumb.
• Be Consistent: Understand that this is a long process and you can't expect your child to stop sucking their thumb overnight. It will take a long time and lots of reminders and little nudges until they will succeed.

When To Seek Professional Help

If your child keeps sucking their thumb despite your best efforts, consider scheduling an appointment with a therapist who can help you get to the root cause of their behavior and find the best strategies to overcome it.

And, if thumbsucking has already affected their oral health, you can count on a Terre Haute pediatric dentist at Vivid Smiles to restore it.

Contact us now to book an appointment for your little one.