Breaking the Thumb Sucking Habit: Gentle Tips That Really Work
Moms often ask how to help their kids stop finger or thumb sucking. Firstly, it’s important to understand why children suck their fingers or thumbs – and the simple answer, is that it’s natural! Babies and young children explore the world with their mouths, and sucking on their thumb or fingers is a reflex that provides them with a feeling of comfort. Most children will stop the habit on their own around age 3, but if they continue beyond 4-5 years old, it can cause problems with their teeth and jaw development.
Long Term Effects of Finger and Thumb Sucking
Over time, sucking on a finger or thumb pushes the teeth and will cause them to separate. This can create an open-bite (the front teeth don’t overlap when a child bites down), over-bite (the top front teeth stick out), or under-bite (the bottom front teeth are in front of the top teeth). This improper position of the teeth can lead to speech problems, and can cause the roof of the mouth to narrow, leading to airway and breathing concerns.
Thumb and finger sucking may also expose your child to dirt, bacteria, and viruses causing them to be sick more often, and puts them at a higher risk of ear infection.
So, what can parents do to help their children break this habit? Here are some tips that have worked for my patients and my own children:
Pay Attention to their Triggers
Some kids thumb or finger suck when they are bored, worried, or hungry. Some kids only do it as they are falling asleep or watching TV. Once you have figured out when you child is finger or thumb sucking, you can then start to intervene.
Substitute the behavior with a Distraction
If your child sucks their fingers or thumb as a self-soothing strategy during stressful situations, attempt to figure out the cause of their anxiety and offer them an alternative like a stuffed animal. If they are thumb sucking at other times, try to engage them in an activity that uses their hands – like drawing, playing with a toy, or doing a puzzle.
Use Positive Reinforcement & Easy Goals
It takes 30 days to break a habit, and depending on the age of your child, you can set goals along the way. These goals should be easy to meet – like not thumb sucking from the time they wake up until lunchtime. As you get further along in the 30 days, you can extend to 3 days, a week, and so on! As you child meets these goals, you can reward them with something that is important to them.
It is also important to praise your child when they don’t suck their fingers or thumbs. Encourage them with positive words like “Great job! You’re doing so well without sucking your thumb.”
Add a Gentle Reminder
Bitter-tasting nail polish and finger or thumb guards are safe and effective ways to discourage you child from putting their hands in their mouth.
Try an Orthodontic Appliance
If you have exhausted all other methods at home, a visit to the orthodontist can help. There are several devices, both removable and non-removable, that will prevent your child form creating suction when finger or thumb sucking. They also serve as a reminder to keep their fingers out of their mouth.
So there you have it – 5 tips and tricks to help your child kick their finger or thumb sucking habit! I usually recommend starting with the simple solutions first, but every child is different and what works for one, may not work for another. Just remember to be patient and consistent, and, the good news is that your pediatrician, dentist, and orthodontist are here to help if you need it!
Dr. Stephanie Vera is a general dentist practicing in Murphy, Texas. She is a graduate of Baylor College of Dentistry and believes education and prevention are essential to a happy, healthy smile.
