Thumb and Finger Sucking

Breaking a child of a thumb / finger sucking habit can be very challenging and can cause some significant dental issues if continued too long. Use of a pacifier for too long can cause the same problems. The problem is that the finger / pacifier put pressure on the front teeth and roof of the mouth. They roof of the mouth develops narrowly and upward while the front teeth stick out significantly. This is what it looks like when they bite down…

As you can imagine, it presents a significant esthetic as well as functional problem!

Breaking the child of the habit can be very difficult, especially if it has been a comfort for many years. In many cases you won’t be able to break the habit until the child is ready despite your best efforts. Some different options include throwing away their pacifier, putting a terrible tasting gel on their fingers, bribing them with a prize for 20 days of not doing it, and as a last resort, a dental appliance that sits behind their front teeth and doesn’t allow them to put fingers in. At a minimum you want this habit broken before they start losing baby teeth and getting permanent teeth in. I’d recommend starting to break the habit at age 2 if you’re able as this will minimize any damage done. If you can’t break the habit and are noticing significant change in their teeth, start saving up for braces because they will likely be in them a while.