Thumb Sucking
Dr. Sher prides himself on helping patients feel and look their best by providing the finest dental care and the latest technology. Whether a routine dental visit or a cosmetic procedure, Dr. Sher treats a variety of dental conditions in his practice.
Concerned parents frequently ask us whether thumb sucking can cause permanent damage to a child’s teeth. Probably the best answer is: “Sometimes yes, sometimes no.” It really depends on the child’s age and how serious the habit is. During the first few years of life, thumb sucking is usually no problem. Unfortunately, if the habit continues after age 4 or 5, it may lead to orthodontic problems, especially protruding front teeth. Once the child’s permanent teeth start erupting at around the age of 6 to 8, prolonged or vigorous thumb sucking becomes one of the most common causes of bad bite. Therefore, as a rule, the earlier a child stops thumb sucking, the better.
It’s important to remember that sucking is a natural reflex for infants and can be a way of meeting emotional needs for young children. That means it can be a very difficult habit to break or virtually impossible, in fact, until the child is ready and willing to cooperate.
The first step you can take is to focus your child’s attention to the habit itself. Please don’t criticize or nag, but just inform the child, “Jordan, you’re sucking your thumb.” After a while, which could be several months, Jordan will realize that he sucks his thumb habitually and you can suggest with love and understanding, not blame or criticism, that now he’s grown-up enough to break the habit. Once he agrees that he would like to stop, you can offer to help him succeed with reminders like gloves on his hands, Band-Aids on his thumbs, or one of those bitter tasting anti-sucking preparations that you can paint on his nails.
If you need help, just call. We’ll be glad to talk to you and your child about thumb sucking.
Jay Sher DDS, FAGD
154 S. Livingston Ave. Suite 104
Livingston, NJ 07039
973-992-4770
