As a family dental practice where kids are a special part of our work, our Krengel Dental team receives many questions about thumb sucking; what to expect, it?s impact on your child?s teeth and how to manage the habit. Here are the answers to some FAQs to give you the 411 on thumb sucking. 
Q: Is thumb sucking normal?
A: It is common and acceptable for infants to suck on fingers and use pacifiers, as it produces a feeling of comfort as babies grow. Many babies suck on fingers to cope with anxiety and self-soothe when uncomfortable, oftentimes helping them feel comforted when seperated from parents or when falling asleep. Commonly, thumb sucking stops around pre-school. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), by age four, thumb sucking can affect your child?s physical development. Discouraging thumb sucking by age four is what the ADA recommends.
Q: What are the effects of prolonged thumb sucking?
A: Your child is constantly developing physically as they grow bigger, and thumb sucking can have adverse effects on facial development. Overtime, prolonged thumb sucking can influence the developing jaw and alignment of teeth and skeletal changes can take place.. Alignment of the permanent teeth is likely to be influenced, requiring more intensive orthodontics to correct. The sooner your child can break the habit, the better the chance of the bite correcting itself.
Q: What are some ways to discourage thumb sucking at the appropriate age?
A: We notice that most children we see at Krengel Dental will normally cease or gradually stop thumb sucking before age 4. Our children patient?s parents have found that ignoring the behavior helps, potentially pointing out that the behavior is no longer appropriate, which the child will start to notice on their own in social situations. Positive reinforcement when your child does not suck their thumb is always preferred, since criticism may just perpetuate your child?s anxiety, therefore perpetuating the behavior. If the habit persists past preschool, here are some ways to intervene:
- Encourage your child to stop and praise them each time they attempt to stop or when you notice that they did not suck their thumb.
- Establish a reward chart. Reward your child?s progress in quitting the behavior.
- Use a pacifier instead to help your child cease the behavior, as pacifiers tend to be easier to take away.
- Talk to your Krengel dentist! Our friendly team will help you identify the best strategy for your child, which could include discouraging the habit by
- Covering your child?s thumb or hand with a glove
- Placing a bandage on their thumb
- Engaging in a breathing or relaxation exercise before bed
- Trying out different coping skills
Need more help discouraging thumb sucking or intervening? Have any tips to share with other parents? Call our friendly team today (952-888-1311). We are here to help and share your feedback with others!
