Babies are born with a sucking instinct which helps them to nurse. They’ll suck on anything within arm’s reach, including sucking thumbs, fingers, pacifiers, and other objects. Many babies begin sucking on their fingers in the womb, and it’s a normal part of childhood development.
Throughout early childhood, thumb-sucking helps babies to self-soothe, and it may also help them to sleep, which is why so many kids suck their thumbs at night. Most of the time, babies stop thumb-sucking on their own by age three or four, but prolonged thumb-sucking or using a pacifier can affect the development of the teeth and jaw.
If your child passively holds their thumb or fingers in the mouth without sucking, dental issues may not arise. Most dental issues associated with active thumb-sucking resolve themselves by the time the permanent teeth come in, but persistent or vigorous thumb-sucking can cause more permanent problems. In the same way, braces use gentle pressure to move the teeth into place, thumb-sucking and/or pacifier use can unintentionally move the teeth and jaw in undesirable ways.
How Thumb-Sucking Can Affect Your Child’s Teeth
Just because your child sucks their thumb or uses a pacifier doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll suffer any dental issues. If thumb-sucking impacts the teeth, it can happen in various ways. If and how your child’s mouth is affected depends on several factors, including their natural teeth alignment, the angle of thumb placement, how often they suck their thumb, the intensity of thumb-sucking, and more.
- Misaligned teeth – Prolonged pressure from a thumb or pacifier can push teeth out of their natural position. If baby teeth are in the wrong position, they could also cause adult teeth to emerge incorrectly. In the meantime, misaligned teeth could cause problems with eating and speech.
- Protruding teeth – Some children suck their thumbs in a way that causes the upper front teeth to angle outward. Sometimes, the lower front teeth angle in the opposite direction, pointing inward. It can make it difficult for kids to fully close their mouths, cause problems with eating and speech, and lead to long-term mouth trauma.
- Open bite – In an open bite, the upper and lower teeth are both angled outward. The teeth don’t overlap when the mouth is closed. Children with an open bite may have difficulty chewing, swallowing, and speaking.
- Crossbite – Typically, the lower teeth fit just inside the upper teeth when the mouth is closed. The upper teeth hang slightly over the lower teeth, like shingles on a roof. In a crossbite, the positions are reversed, and the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth. If left untreated, it can cause the jaw to shift to one side.
- Palate narrowing – Thumb-sucking doesn’t just impact teeth, it can also affect the development of the palate, commonly called the roof of the mouth. Aggressive thumb-sucking puts pressure on the palate and may negatively impact growth.
How to Wean Your Child Off Pacifiers And Thumb-Sucking
Most kids suck on their thumbs, fingers, pacifiers, and other objects at some point during early childhood. It’s an ordinary instinct and a common self-soothing technique.
Most kids wean themselves away from thumb-sucking over the first few months or years of life, but a subset of kids continue the habit up to age five. Kids who stop thumb-sucking on their own might start up again when stressed, sick, or tired. If your child needs help giving up a pacifier or thumb-sucking, these tips and tricks might help.
- Offer Positive Praise – Thumb-sucking is a soothing technique, so creating a stressful situation by scolding them isn’t the right approach. Instead, offer positive praise when your child doesn’t suck their thumb. Set reasonable goals and use a visual celebration, like a sticker board, to mark your child’s success. If they meet their goal, offer simple prizes like a favorite dinner or an extra story at bedtime.
- Use a nighttime barrier – If your child sucks their thumb mostly at night, you can try lightly bandaging the thumb or using a sock on the hand to discourage thumb-sucking.
- Bad tastes: Talk to your child’s pediatrician about bitter-tasting deterrents. To discourage use, you can apply them to the thumb or to the surface of a pacifier.
- Pay attention to triggers – Does your child suck their thumb at certain times of day or in certain situations? Does it happen more when they’re hungry, tired, or overstimulated? Do they suck their thumb to get your attention? Don’t fight an uphill battle. Identifying and addressing triggers can make weaning off of thumb-sucking a lot easier.
- Talk openly—Have a conversation with your child about thumb-sucking. Discuss the positives (that it makes them feel safe and secure) and the negatives (that it could impact their teeth). Set goals together and help your child understand why you need to do this together.
- Be patient – Habits are hard to break, and weaning off of thumb-sucking or using a pacifier probably won’t happen overnight. When you see your child sucking their thumb, gently remind them of their goal and redirect them. Over time, those slips should occur less often, and thumb-sucking will taper off.
Most kids give up pacifiers and thumb-sucking on their own before kindergarten, and most common issues are resolved independently without intervention. However, if you’re concerned about prolonged thumb-sucking and related dental concerns, talk to your pediatric provider or consult one of our pediatric dentists.
