https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 11 May 2026 13:50:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1352309 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 10:20:51 +0000 purrpletulips 1352309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was constantly asking our dentist about DD's thumb sucking and he didn't see a problem with it. Since about 18m she only sucked it during nap/at night unless he was really upset or uncomfortable. If we told her to stop sucking it she would. We finally broke her of the habit at 3.5yo. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1352217 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 10:05:04 +0000 Doodlesmama 1352217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone for your responses. @Sandy, I think that is what we are going to start doing. Will will start with teaching him 'thumb' and then gently ask him to pull the thumb out. However, he sure loves the word 'no' right now, so we shall see :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351895 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 08:45:57 +0000 yellowbird 1351895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: at least in patients I see thumb sucking can create a pretty severe open bite compared to pacifiers. Pacifiers will do the same thing eventually, and I also think it's the amount of pressure and time they have either in their mouth. </p> <p>It's not going to happen to every child, but it has the possibility to so I recommend trying to curb the habit when you can. I'm not saying to traumatize your kid, put positive reinforcement is not a bad idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351880 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 08:33:12 +0000 katsupgirl 1351880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a reformed thimb sucker I say let her have her thumb. Of course I sucked my thumb till college and had to get braces. Once I stopped I became a much angrier person. Oh wellz. I'm with you on emotional stable vs. braces. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351850 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 08:07:41 +0000 Mamaof2 1351850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is thumb sucking worse than pacifiers?</p> <p>Our dentist said 3.5 for pacifiers </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351844 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 08:01:20 +0000 heffalump 1351844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dentist told me we could wait until she's 4 or 5 before we start to worry about her teeth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351838 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 07:56:09 +0000 mediagirl 1351838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a thumb sucker who is 19 months. I can't believe your dentist told you to stop it immediately! My husband was a thumb sucker until 6 and while he had braces, he had no long term damage to his teeth.</p> <p>Someone once told me that peer pressure will get them to quit one day. Another (mean) child will call them a baby for sucking their thumb and that will help them learn to stop. </p> <p>I told myself I would never take drastic steps to stop her. As she gets older and finds new soothing techniques, we'll help her remove her thumb during the day. For now, she's still so young, I'm not worrying about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351793 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 07:04:44 +0000 sandy 1351793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Doodlesmama: my LO is a thumb sucker too and has been since we saw her in her 20 week scan. She used to only do it when sleeping in her crib but around 18 months we noticed it was increasing and she did it during waking hours - especially the car seat. So we just started gently reminding her to take her finger out of her mouth. She has 4 little stuffed animals that stay in the car and we have a mirror so we can see her. We remind her a lot and for her it helps to have her hands busy and we tell her stuffed animals to take their finger out of their mouths and she likes to pretend to put their hand there and tell them to take it out and move their hand away. She's 26 months and has pretty much forgotten about her thumb during the day. I still her hear sucking her thumb at night but that doesn't bother me at the moment </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351786 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 06:55:10 +0000 yellowbird 1351786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The problem isn't only the teeth but the thumb suckking habit actually changes the shape of the palatal bone which can make correction very difficult and can change the shape of a child's profile, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351732 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 03:10:32 +0000 Kemma 1351732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I sucked my thumb until I was almost in my teens and my top teeth are excellent! Thumb sucking isn't necessary a life sentence for bad teeth :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351725 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 02:42:27 +0000 autumnlove 1351725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have 2 thumbsuckers....I'm kinda nervous about our first dentist appointment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351442 Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:37:26 +0000 brownie 1351442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's just baby teeth, BUT you do have to break it eventually my sister was like 9 or 10 before they put spikes in her mouth to break the habit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351436 Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:34:44 +0000 rachiecakes 1351436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Doodlesmama: My son just turned two and I feel like I'm always asking the pediatrician about this. He doesn't see a problem with it.<br /> DS only sucks his thumb when he's sleepy.<br /> I know DH was a thumbsucker until at least 7 (! I have photographic evidence!). If that's what he needs to self-soothe, so be it. I feel like same as you, I'd rather him be able to do that that any other hair-twisting, scratching, head-banging, etc., behavior. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dentist-and-thumb-sucking#post-1351426 Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:31:16 +0000 Doodlesmama 1351426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I took DS who is 18 months to the dentist today. The dentist said that we need to stop the thumb sucking ASAP. I wasn't shocked, but I feel like it is too early. DS is a more or less constant thumb sucker, so his front two teeth have shifted a bit. I feel like I would rather have an emotionally sane child with braces than a traumatized one with perfect teeth. I did like the dentist, I am just concerned now about the thumb sucking. </p> <p>Anyone have advice or experience? Are we just making things harder for ourselves if we wait until 2 or 3? </p>