Thumb sucking worries and remedies

[Feelikeaplasticbag]

DS is 7 and has always been a thumbsucker. He wasn't one to always have his thumb in his mouth though, only really occasionally during the day when tired/watching TV, and completely cut out daytime sucking a couple of years ago.

The dentist last year said we'd have to be vigilant once his teeth start falling out and permanent teeth emerge, which is now.

We saw a dentist last week who was pretty dismissive, implying damage was already done anyway but to look online for tips if I want him to stop sucking it. Not very helpful.

Over the last couple of weeks, his teeth which looked pretty fine before have suddenly gotten quite bad. I think the front teeth are coming through, pushing the ones that are there forward and they're really protruding. Hopefully it will fix itself once they fall out and if I can get him to stop before the others fully come through maybe it will be OK?

I feel like I've failed him not tackling this sooner to be honest.

Any tips on what to use would be welcome (is the Mavala varnish any good?), and perhaps reassurance of you've had thumb suckers. Thank you!

My daughter was a finger sucker.. she did just naturally stop but is now on the list for braces. I didn’t do anything to stop it. The dentist made a few remarks but that’s all what was said. I’m not sure I even could have stopped it tbh. She also used it as a comforter, when tired etc so seemed cruel to force her to drop it. She’s 11 now.

Following as dd6 is autistic and sucks on her fingers. Her adult teeth have started coming through and its noticeable 🥺

As shes autistic, there's not a lot i can do, I can't just say 'stop it', as she doesn't understand how that relates to her fingers

Sigh

Just hoping the NHS is still going when she inevitably needs braces x

My daughter sucked her thumb for years, she did it in her sleep and yep her teeth did stick out as a result.
braces sorted it and she now have very lovely and straight teeth, she’s almost 18.
I beat myself up about it but there’s not much you can do really. It’s a very hard habit to break. Think she forced herself to stop she was about 13.

My DD sucked her thumb. As she got older it was only really when she was feeling tired. She gradually stopped it off her own back around about 8 years old. She has lovely teeth, never needed braces. I think gentle encouragement to try to get him to stop is best, you don’t want to give him a complex about his teeth.

@Vickim03 how old was your DD when she stopped?

DS is really nearly there, he even stops himself doing it to fall asleep despite it being quite tough for him, but he does do it unknowingly in his sleep. Some nights it's constant, other nights he barely does.

I'm really not that bothered if he needs braces, I had them and have lovely teeth now. I'm more worried about possible bullying if they get really bad as he is a sensitive soul.

And also worried about some of the stories I've read on here of needing jaw surgery...

I think it seems to affect some more than others, perhaps how much time sucking, the strength of sucking makes a difference, not sure.
We finally got DD to stop at 6, our dentist made me feel really awful about it telling me the damage was already happening and braces wouldn't fix it because it was affecting the shape of her pallet, not just pushing her teeth out. I had managed to cut daytime sucking at 4 and it was just night by then. I ended up sitting by her bed holding her hands to stop her sucking while she went to sleep, took 3 nights of hell then the habit was broken. I should have done it earlier.
Her teeth are now fine and the dentist said we were lucky because we caught a good growth spurt after she stopped and the jaw grew and changed shape.
I sympathise. It's very hard to stop a child doing something that brings them comfort.

Yes very true, it's a hard balance. I definitely don't want to give him a complex.

He got really worried at the thought of braces which really motivated him to stop, then he saw a boy with braces on The Voice Kids that he found really cool and is a lot less determined now 😂

I've just gone upstairs and the thumb had found its way in his mouth. I have gently removed it! I think bitter varnish may be worth a try to stop him doing it at night.

But I'll try not to make it a big deal.

tbh I’m not sure but I’d say around 8/9. Your dentist can advise about jaw surgery tho I’m sure it’s not that bad. My daughter used to suck her 3 fingers..I’m not worried about braces as I’ve also had them. It’s been on the cards since the first ever dentist visit tbh so could be she may of needed them without the finger sucking. It is tricky when it’s their comfort thing.

I was an adult thumbsucker, I was fine during the day and falling asleep but I was finding myself waking up with my thumb in my mouth.
I now wear one of these at night...
thumbsie.co.uk/

Very similar to us, except we've kept going another year, I hope it is not too late based on what you said😥

This is the information I was trying to get from the dentist on how much impact it was having (just teeth or jaw etc), but he gave me nothing and seemed mad I would even ask like "well yes obviously it's affecting his teeth, duh!" so then I didn't dare ask any more. I might send DH next time!

I have been laying with him at night too sometimes to make sure he doesn't suck it to fall asleep and he's been really good. But then he'll stir and it goes back in.

I do worry that it depends on how strongly they suck as in his case, I can hear it from the next room, it's pretty intense!

@Feelikeaplasticbag oh I remember being young and wanting braces, glasses, a broken arm (so I could get everyone at school to sign my cast!)…….🤣

My DD stopped in late primary by wearing one of those glove things. It took a week or two to break the habit (although it helped that she wanted to give it up). She had buck teeth but once she stopped sucking her thumb they straightened themselves up.

We’ve not cracked it, but DD (6) is now much better - she’s gone from constant thumb sucking to only when she’s going to sleep and when really tired.

What worked was old-fashioned bribery. She got a toy she really wanted after two weeks of solid effort (never expected 100% compliance) to stop. It seemed to break the habit.

It does sometimes sneak in (especially in the car) but a quick reminder gets it out again.

I thumb sucked and my parents did everything they could so I stopped before secondary school. The nail varnish didn't work and I continued sucking! What did it was wearing a glove for 6 weeks constantly and I didn't put my thumb in the thumb hole. I had braces couple years later as my teeth stuck out and also had wear a head brace during the night / when at home in addition to the train track braces

I sucked my thumb at night until I was 18! I had braces fitted at 16/17. I had all the warnings and dentists telling me off but I couldn’t stop. However, I’m 39 now and my teeth are still perfect from the braces 20 years ago so it doesn’t have to spell disaster!

I will be honest, my DH in his 40s still sucks his thumb at night (which is a bit weird). He's lost four front teeth (on one side) which I can only assume is due to this. So try to get your DC out of the habit!