Thumbsucking and your Child's Teeth.

Thumbsucking is a natural reflex that often acts to soothe a young
infant. The act of sucking seems to provide a sense of security and a child often will suck when they are tired or sleeping.

As the child gets older and spends more time awake and
exploring their world thumbsucking usually goes away. This
usually happens between the ages of 2 and 4.

Prolonged thumbsucking can cause problems with the proper
growth and alignment of teeth if it continues after the permanent
teeth start to appear. This is more likely to happen with children
who are prone to vigorously suck their thumbs. Usually when the
thumb is removed from the mouth of this type of thumbsucker a
'popping' sound is heard.

When helping a child break the thumbsucking habit remember
that placing too much pressure on the child can make the
situation worse.

Some helpful hints:

▪ Praise for not sucking rather than scold for sucking

▪ Thumbsucking is often caused by anxiety. Working to remove
the cause of the anxiety can help the child break the thumbsucking
habit.

▪ Reward the child if they refrain from thumbsucking during difficult
times, such as during a separation from a parent.

▪ If these methods are unsuccessful a pediatrician or dentist may
prescribe a bitter medication to coat the thumb to prevent thumbsucking.