Are you concerned about your child’s teeth because he or she sucks their thumb or uses a pacifier? If you answered yes, this blog is important for you to read. Problems may arise for children who suck their thumb or use a pacifier around the time when their permanent teeth start to come in. Thumb-sucking and pacifiers may cause teeth alignment problems and a need for braces when they get older.
The average age when kids stop sucking their thumb is typically between 2-4 but by then permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Consult with your dentist at Harbor Point Dental Group if you notice any changes in permanent teeth or if you have concerns about your child’s teeth due to thumb sucking and pacifiers.
The average age when kids stop sucking their thumb is typically between 2-4 but by then permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Consult with your dentist at Harbor Point Dental Group if you notice any changes in permanent teeth or if you have concerns about your child’s teeth due to thumb sucking and pacifiers.
This can be prevented.
What Can I Do As a Parent to Prevent Thumb-sucking?
Thumb-sucking is something your child does to provide comfort and prevent anxiety. Here are a few tips that might help.
- Praise your child for not sucking his/her thumb.
- Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and thumb-sucking.
- Is the child older? Ask them how you can support them to stop thumb-sucking. Sometimes, just a conversation to assess or raise awareness of how this can impact their teeth can help
- Consult with your dentist for other tips and monitor the proper growth of the child’s teeth.
Why do We Brush Our Teeth?
