How to Help Your Child Stop Sucking Their Thumb

For most children, thumb sucking is a natural instinct.
Occasionally stemming as far back as their time in the womb, thumb
sucking is the easiest way for young kids to self-soothe in times
of stress or discomfort.

Unfortunately, the longer a child sucks their thumb, the more
pronounced the damage to their teeth and mouth is likely to be over
time. So how can you help your child avoid a future full of braces
and other expensive (and often uncomfortable) oral appliances
intended to correct the damage?

The best way to prevent permanent damage to the oral structures
inside the mouth is to help your child wean themselves off of
sucking their thumb. Here are a few tips to help you help your
child keep their teeth straight, their jaws aligned, and their
smiles bright!

stop sucking thumb

Before you attempt to force your child to stop sucking their
thumb, it’s important that you sit down with them and explain why
they need to give it up. No matter how old (or young) a person is,
they’re far more likely to work with you if you take the time to
explain the problem to them rather than forcing their hand (pun
intended.)

Let your child know that sucking their thumb can cause serious
permanent damage to their teeth, jaws, and oral palate and work
with them to come up with solutions together.

stop thumb sucking

Depending on how young your child is, it might be tricky for
them to understand the gravity of the situation and why it’s so
vital they stop sucking their thumb sooner rather than later. This
is where the internet (and specifically YouTube) comes in.

Rather than just trying to describe the problem in words they
can understand, show them exactly what happens over time when they
keep sucking their thumb. Empower them and educate them so they can
be the ones to make the decision to quit (which in turn increases
their likelihood of succeeding.)

stop thumb sucking

Rather than scolding your child and making them feel ashamed of
failure, reward your child when they do well. And you don’t have
to give your child a physical reward in order to practice positive
re-enforcement; the next time you see them reflexively put their
thumb in their mouth, give them a chance to correct the behaviour
on their own.

If they remember to remove their thumb, praise them and let them
know you’re proud of them. Failure is to be expected from time to
time and your child shouldn’t feel like they need to hide that
from you.

stop thumb sucking

Thumb sucking is often a self-soothing behaviour that children
adopt in order to comfort themselves. Talk to your child and try to
figure out the root cause of their discomfort. Often, by
alleviating whatever is causing your child’s anxiety or
insecurity, you remove the stimulus that triggers the thumb sucking
behaviour in the first place.

Think of your child sucking their thumb as their own personal
safety blanket; if you can figure out what’s stressing them out
and alleviate that stress, you can cut the thumb sucking off right
at the source.

stop thumb sucking

If your child is still struggling to quit sucking their thumb,
then there are an array of products available to help them. From
bad tasting ‘nail polish’ (originally invented to help people
stop biting their nails) to thumb guards, there are a number of
different methods to choose from to assist your child with keeping
their thumb out of their mouth.

Just be aware that there’s a very fine line to be drawn here
and that your child should give their complete consent to trying
the products out. Forcing your child not to suck their thumb
against their will won’t end well for anyone. This is why the
first step is so important. Talk to your child. Make sure you’re
both on the same page and come up with a strategy together.

stop thumb sucking

The best thing you can do to help a child who is struggling to
stop sucking their thumb (or who has no interest in stopping) is to
book an appointment with a dentist. At Archer Dental, our team is
equipped to come up with the best possible treatment plan to suit
your child’s unique needs.

We also offer Myobrace. Myobrace focuses on treating the
underlying causes of crooked teeth and under or overdeveloped bites
by gently re-aligning and correcting your child’s bite before
permanent damage can be done. When used as prevention, Myobrace can
eliminate the need for braces and improve your child’s quality of
life as a whole.
You can learn more about Myobrace and how it works right
here.

The post How
to Help Your Child Stop Sucking Their Thumb appeared first on
Archer Dental.

https://ift.tt/2Hhg3aM

from General Dentist Hammond, Louisiana https://ift.tt/2F8Lm5t



from Orthodontist WordPress https://ift.tt/2EV2gmG

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tips for Teething Babies

Teething – a painful yet necessary milestone in your baby’s early life. Though every child is different, many experience similar signs of teething. Many of us at Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry are parents, too, so we know what you and your little one are going through. We’ve come up with some tips to help making the teething months a little more bearable. How to tell your baby is teething The signs of teething are unmistakable, though some babies manage to go through the teething phase without any real pain or symptoms. Here are a few common signs of teething: Excessive drooling Low grade fever (less than 101 degrees) Gum rubbing Chewing and biting on any object they can – clothes, toys, fists, etc. Increased irritability Outer mouth rash (caused by excess drooling) A common mistake many of us make is to chalk up almost all symptoms to teething. If your baby’s fever is accompanied by runny nose, cough, noticeable ear pain, or anything else out of the ordinary, note that the...
Read more

Understanding Dental Coverage for Your Child

Image
Understanding dental insurance can be quite a hassle, but we know it is essential to keep your children’s smiles healthy. Not every plan is the same, and learning about your insurance coverage isn’t always a simple task. If you’ve been left scratching your head about your dental insurance plan and how it applies to your family, keep reading. Read Your Explanation of Benefits It might seem daunting to sift through the giant stack of paperwork you receive when you sign up for benefits, aka: your explanation of benefits. However, it is inherently necessary if you are going to thoroughly understand your coverage. You won’t be able to ask the right questions if you don’t know where to start. Reading your explanation of benefits is a good place to begin. Doing so will allow you to form plan-specific questions. Get Familiar With Insurance Vocabulary Oftentimes, the most difficult part of understanding dental insurance is the vocabulary. In order to understand your coverage, you need to u...
Read more

Oradent Dental Care – Dental Practices in Ashford, Lydd and Rochester in Kent – all part of the Oradent Group

Image
Oradent Dental Care, Ashford This dentist in Ashford , Kent has been seeing generations of patients for over 40 years, often seeing the same family time and again over these years. This is testament to what a good service the dental practice provides. It offers both NHS dentist appointments alongside cosmetic dentistry treatments, such as teeth whitening, teeth straightening, dental implants and veneers. If you are looking for a family-friendly dentist or a complete smile makeover, then look no further. The atmosphere in the dental practice is a relaxed and welcoming one and they are constantly striving to create the highest quality treatments achievable. They continuously invest in the latest technology and routinely attend conferences to stay on top of their game. Oradent Dental Care, Lydd This dentist in Lydd was previously known as ‘The Cottage Dental Practice’ and is nestled in the little village of Lydd. Even though it has a quaint appearance, don’t be fooled, the practice o...
Read more