We often coo at babies when they suck their thumbs. We find it adorable and watching them is a visual delight. Thumb-sucking is a reflex, normally seen in babies that aids them in soothing themselves. It serves a purpose like an ordinary pacifier.
The urge to do this starts diminishing after the sixth month of infancy. Also, if some children develop a habit of comforting themselves with the help of thumb-sucking; this habit may persist past the age of three for such children. The habit starts weaning naturally around the age of three, but if it continues past age four, it could be detrimental for the teeth and could also be a sign of mental and emotional issues.
What are the Negative Effects of Thumb-Sucking?
Children who suck their thumbs can have normal teeth development like the ones who do not suck their thumbs. Let us ponder over some of the most common negative effects of thumb-sucking.
Misaligned teeth: The most detrimental adverse effect of thumb-sucking is the irregular positioning of the teeth when the jaws are shut.
This is popularly termed malocclusion. This can be treated using brace cost, Invisalign smile, and other dental treatments.
Overbite: Overbite is one of the most common types of misalignments seen in teeth. It occurs when the upper front teeth and misdirected outwards and the top teeth overlap the bottom teeth when your child’s mouth is shut.
In a normal case, the upper and the lower set of teeth just touch and do not overlap when the mouth is shut.
A more advanced case of Overbite is called the Deep bite. In a deep bite, the upper teeth completely overlap the lower teeth and mask them.
If a deep bite is not treated in time, it may even puncture the lower gums and cause wounds. An overbite can easily affect the shape of the face and distort the smile.
In extreme situations, your child may need extensive orthodontic treatment and supervision to correct the misalignment.
Open bite: This is another common cause of misalignment of teeth whitening cost. Open bite occurs when the top and bottom set of front teeth are directed outwards.
This outward protrusion of the front sets of teeth does not let the two sets touch even when your child’s mouth is shut completely. Open bite correction needs expensive orthodontic treatment.
This correction takes a substantial amount of time and may even be painful at times. An open bite is usually treated with invisible braces london, Invisalign, and so on.
An open bite can diminish the self-confidence of your child and affect his/her natural smile.
Speech defects/impediments: Thumb-sucking creates a hindrance in the proper development of teeth, jaw, and palate. It can influence the eating and speaking style of your child. This may cause severe speech impediments.
The most common speech impediment caused by thumb-sucking is lisping. Lisping is characterised by mispronunciation of ‘s’ and ‘z’ as ‘th’.
One of the fastest ways to treat lisping is making your child recite tongue twisters that have continuous ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds in them. Other than lisping, thumb-sucking can alter the child’s ability to pronounce hard consonants like ‘D’ and ‘T’.
The malformed sounds are usually caused by the shape of your child’s teeth in relation to his/her tongue. Without the right dental treatment, speech therapy may not fully correct such impediments.
Not being able to communicate properly or not being understood can leave your child feeling frustrated, angry, and depressed.
Skin problems: Excessive thumb-sucking can cause the preferred thumb to get highly sensitive and vulnerable to other injuries.
- The skin might crack and even bleed in extreme cases.
- It can warp the growth of the thumbnail and cause it to peel.
- It can make your thumb prone to other infections.
The palate or the roof of the mouth can become narrow and delicate due to excessive thumb-sucking habits.
The misshapen jaw can hamper the child’s eating abilities. This may result in a lack or loss of appetite and ultimately, deficiency diseases and anaemia.
The tongue leaves its normal position and may get heavy, resulting in the slurring of words.
Children experiencing the above issues may get bullied when they enter the social domain. They may become a target of teasing amongst their peers, and this may further lead them into depression and social anxiety.
How to Discourage Thumb-Sucking?
Usually, kids give up the habit when they realise that it is not acceptable in a social setting but, if your child is having a hard time letting go of it, it is time for you to start intervening.
Always remember, nagging, scaring, and punishing them should never be an option. You will just end up ruining things for yourself and them if you do any of it.
Positive reinforcement and encouragement are the keys to combating the issue of thumb-sucking. Here are some ways to help your children let go of the habit:
- Make them understand its adverse consequences. Assure them that it is not something to be ashamed of and that they can get rid of it if they try.
- Praise them and say words of encouragement when they are not sucking their thumb.
- You can try covering their thumb with a shield or a bandage.
- Sometimes children suck their thumb when they are stressed or agitated. In such cases, try to soothe them. Identify their triggers and suggest other ideas that will help them divert their attention when they are stressed. Stress balls can do wonders.
- If they start doing it instinctively, gently remind them to stop.
- You can ask their dentist to install a dental device in their mouth to make thumb-sucking feel less appealing.
Conclusion
Breaking thumb-sucking habits can take a substantial amount of time. You need to be patient with your child’s progress. If you are still concerned about it, it is advisable to get your child checked by a dentist.
Dentists and orthodontists can solve such issues more effectively, in less time. We hope this article helps you and your child.
Book a consultation for your child with expert dentists at Perfect Smile. The dynamic team of Perfect Smile will solve your dental issues to root canal.