At Hall Dental, our Lethbridge dentists and team proven recommendations on how to break thumb sucking and pacifier habits in children.
As a parent, you already know that thumb and pacifier sucking in babies and young children is a normal self-soothing behaviour. While most children typically out grow this habit, some don't.
It's best to get your child to stop thumb or pacifier sucking before their permanent teeth come in (generally, by age 5). If thumb sucking continues after this time, it can begin to have a negative impact on the development of the erupting teeth.
The continuous presence of the thumb or pacifier in the mouth acts as an obstruction for the adult teeth as they emerge, and can cause the teeth to grow in wrong direction or position. This can result in misalignment and and the need for orthodontic treatment in the future.
Breaking the Habit
If you are having trouble encouraging your child to break this habit, we can create a dental appliance, which is cemented behind your child's front teeth to discourage thumb sucking. The appliance is not uncomfortable for your child, but it makes the act of thumb sucking less enjoyable.