Thumbsucking

[BiggerNose]

My 7-year old daughter sucks her thumb, especially when she's tired, even in her sleep. It's threatening to inhibit her new adult teeth falling into place. I'm guessing others must have had this experience. The obvious explanations, threats and rewards haven't worked. Any ideas?

[faverolles]

I spoke to my dentist about this, as ds is a thumb sucker.
He said that in his opinion, thumbs don't inhibit tooth growth like dummies do, as the thumb fits into the mouth more ergonomically (if that's the word I mean ) and don't change the shape of the jaw.
He did say that other dentists had other opinions, but in his years as a dentist, he'd never seen any evidence to prove that thumb sucking caused problems.

[ppeatfruit]

I totally agree with faverolles' dentist, my DD1 sucked her thumb from 3 months and stopped at 7 yrs she has beautiful teeth! strangely DS sucked nothing and yet needed orthodontics.

[BiggerNose]

It was our dentist who originally raised it as a possible issue. I was trying to adopt a laid back approach - thinking she'll just eventually grow out of it. Sounds like denstists don't agree, which is well worth knowing.

[glasscompletelybroken]

3 of my 4 children sucked their thumbs and guess which one had the braces on her teeth - (that's right - the one who didn't!)

[notasausage]

I sucked my thumb, my brother didn't - both needed braces. Getting a brace with a plate stopped me sucking my thumb overnight as it just didn't feel right any more.

DD just turning 2 sucks her thumb when tired or upset but rarely when asleep and I can already see her top teeth looking like mine as a child but perhaps that's more about genetics than anything else.

tbh I think a 7yr old would take a plaster off if they really wanted to suck their thumb and stop and grow also only good to remind them they're not supposed to be sucking if they are ready to stop.

Have you spoken to her dentist or is it your opinion?

[marriednotdead]

My DS (now 13) was a regular thumbsucker, which gradually became just a bedtime habit by the time he started school. He stopped around 7/8 when our dentist explained to him that it would cause his lower teeth to be pushed back.

I'd forgotten about the conversation until we were at the orthodontists last week. His lower jaw is further back than it should be and he will need removeable braces to correct that before they remove a couple of teeth and put on the fixed braces.

The first thing he was asked was whether he used to suck his thumb.