How Thumb Sucking Hinder Your Toddler’s Tooth Development?

How Thumb Sucking Hinder Your Toddler’s Tooth Development?

Does your little angel’s thumb sucking bother you? Sucking thumb is a part of infanthood. Even some babies suck their thumb in their mother’s womb and it can continue till they are 6 months old. After the certain period of time the desire for thumb sucking vanishes but if it persists, it becomes a cause of worry for parents. Elongated thumb sucking in kids can lead to incorrect tooth development.

Thumb sucking and the effect on your child’s teeth –

Sucking is a natural reflex in kids that make them feel content, relaxed and secure. Although thumb sucking is not bad for the infant’s oral health but elongated habit can affect your little one’s dental health. Long-drawn-out sucking of the thumb or fingers by the child can be the reason for “open bites” that necessitate extensive orthodontic healing to set the teeth straight. It can also make the front teeth obtrude that make the teeth more vulnerable to damage.

A child sucking thumb even at the age of five or six can get exaggerated by problems like inappropriate relation between the upper and lower jaw, misaligned teeth and can be a subject of laughter and teasing by the peers at the school. Dental problems due to sucking of thumb vary from kid to kid and several other factors like the rate of recurrence, intensity and extent of thumb sucking. The position and placement of the thumb in the mouth also defines the problem type.

What dentists in Anchorage, Alaska says about it?

As the toddler grows, he/she learns new skills and no longer feels the need for sucking the thumb to comfort him or her. This usually lasts 8-9 months but if the practice continues parents must take expert advice of the best dentists in Anchorage to get off the situation and correct their kid’s oral habits. Here are a few expert tips on how to stop thumb sucking –

• Keep a close watch and discover the cues when and why your kid does thumb sucking. Try and suggest substitutes without even letting him or her know about your intentions.
• Distraction is a simple way to fight with this bad habit. Simply distract your child when you see him or her sucking or tend to suck the thumb. Make your kid employ both of his or her hands or make him or her talk to you once you notice the thumb gravitating towards the mouth. Tasks like playing with toys or maybe having a chat can be supportive in this technique.
• Deal with the kid with patience and do not comment or criticize each time the child sucks the thumb. This can make him uncomfortable and push him more to continue this habit.
• Encourage or praise the child for not sucking.
• Try to locate the cause of anxiety for your kid that makes him or her uncomfortable and insecure. Focus on correcting the cause more than habit.
• For an older child, try to be more interactive and attempt to involve him or her in the selection of the way to get rid of the thumb sucking.
• Take the child to the dentist, as a dentist can explain him/her about the negative consequences of thumb sucking on tooth development.
• If the above tips do not work in your case, try using special equipment to put thumb sucking on halt like a thumb guard, socks or a bitter medication prescribed by the dentist.

Thumb sucking in toddlers is a common practice and do not harm the kids on primary level but you as a parent needs to be cautious about your kid’s early actions and prevent the wrong ones to become a habit..