Thumb Sucking Is A Hard Habit To Kick, Here's How To Nip It In The Bud

By Author: Mrs. Shannon Egan
Total Articles: 76
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If your child has a thumb sucking habit don't take it lightly. The reasons for this are many: thumb sucking can cause overbites, underbites, crooked teeth and something called a ‘thumb whole' which forms at the roof of the mouth and can cause a more serious misaligned jaw.

5 Ways to Curb the Habit

Experts say that the trick to curbing the habit is to work with your child to lessen their level of dependency before the coping skills turn into a habit. Since thumb sucking is a self-soothing activity that will not benefit them in their older years it's best to help them develop more useful coping techniques.

If your child is still sucking his thumb then try these useful tips:

Try to wean them off slowly by limiting the amount of time they can suck. Ex: not in public, but in their room at night, etc.

Don't put your child down when they do suck. Only praise them when they don't. It's nothing for them to be ashamed of.

If your child is having a particularly bad day or experience, allow them to suck without any hesitation. ...
... This is their comfort zone and it's understandable they will need it to cope.

Definitely practice self-awareness with your child. Let them know when they are sucking their thumb so they can be aware of their actions and also be aware that you're aware of them.

Don't be too extreme with methods that could be traumatic for your child, such as duct taping a sock around their entire hand. This could be problematic for you in the long run.

A Utah pediatric dentist will specialize in caring for young teeth. Most specialists will even be able to supply you with effective information on how to deal with this habit. Contact a reputable Utah pediatric dentist for more information.