Thumb Sucking and Teeth Braces

It has become fashionable in the pediatric care world to discount the importance of thumb sucking, and dismiss its connection to the need for braces later in life.  Some pediatricians are of the opinion that sucking a pacifier or a thumb over a prolonged period of time does nothing to harm the child's teeth.

This is patently false.  It is true that sucking is a natural human reflex, a habit that babies pick up in the womb.  It is also accepted that sucking in the early days of babyhood and infancy gives comfort to the child. If you baby chooses to push his thumb or finger into his mouth, don’t try to discourage the habit.  Some children may even prefer to have their feeding bottle in their mouth as they walk around. This habit too is not necessarily bad, as long as you see that the bottle is filled with water, and not sweet juices or milk which can cause tooth decay.  However, in the case of children who won't stop thumb sucking even after they have been weaned off a bottle or breast feeding, sucking can cause an extension the upper teeth, a condition known commonly as buck teeth.

Besides, extending of the upper teeth, there can also be several other conditions that are seen when a child continues the sucking habit for a pronged duration of time.

• The bottom teeth at the front can begin to tilt in
• There can be problems with the way that the upper and lower teeth come together
• The roof of the mouth or the upper jaw can become narrow because of the constant pressure.

Generally, your child should not be sucking on anything after she has been able to stop breast feeding or bottle feeding.

So, what do you do if your child is more than three years of age, and still prefers to suck her thumb?  Here are some ways to discourage this habit in children

• Positive reinforcement therapy is the best method to get children to stop sucking their thumb.  Use a sticker chart or a gold star chart to enforce a positive habit. Place a star on the chart for every day that the child can resist sucking her thumb.
• Parents can also try applying some bitter tasting solution to discourage the habit. Keep in mind however, that thumb sucking is not just a deeply pleasurable habit for a child, but also a strongly ingrained one.  The bitter solution may not bother her after a while
• Use protective gloves on the child's hand to prevent her from putting her thumb or finger in her mouth. This works if the child is too small to be able to remove the glove on her own.
• Buy a finger or thumb guard that's available at any drug store. These are made to fit tightly over the finger, and prevent the child from sucking, or at the very least, make it difficult for her to suck her thumb.

If nothing seems to work, consult your pediatric dentist or your pediatrician for ways to discourage this habit.