Years ago, many mothers would get upset with children who sucked their thumbs past infancy. The concern was that thumbsucking late in life caused your mouth to be misshapen. West Gate Dental, an excellent source for debunking dental myths, has a lot to say on this subject.
Some Truth to the Idea
A West Lincoln dentist says that there is some truth to this old wives' tale. It just depends on how the child sucks their thumb. If it sits in the mouth as comfort and there's no actual sucking involved, it won't do much damage at all.
However, if the child is constantly sucking on the thumb with adequate suction, it will cause damage. Some children end up with an overbite or "buck teeth". Other children end up with jaws out of alignment and huge spaces between the front teeth as a result of pushing teeth forward and out.
Stopping the Habit after Kindergarten or First Grade
While many a West Lincoln dentist will agree that prolonged thumbsucking isn't great, there's still an opportunity to turn things around. If you can get your child to stop thumbsucking by kindergarten or first grade, the adult teeth have a fighting chance. Baby teeth will be misshapen, but adult teeth coming in afterward could grow correctly.
Baby teeth fall out. As the baby teeth fall out, the adult teeth prepare to come in. If your child has given up thumbsucking when adult teeth start coming in, the adult teeth may remain relatively unaffected. Your child may still need some orthodontic work after the fact, but it won't be as extensive if they stop this habit around 5 or 6 years of age.
Things Your Grandma Did to Stop Thumbsucking Really Work
Without a doubt, some of the old remedies for stopping a thumbsucker are worth revisiting. Applying a bitter apple liquid to the thumb works, and if the child likes fingernail polish, that works too. The taste of either is unpleasant, although some painted fingernails are just prettier outside of the mouth than in. Sometimes just not drawing attention to the habit or offering an alternative (i.e., bribe) can help stop the thumbsucking. If it's an oral soothing method for your child, there are plenty of "chewies" or self-soothing devices on the market that can help.
Set up an Appointment with a Pediatric Dentist
Still uncertain about what to do? Contact West Gate Dental for a consultation!