thumb sucking - how to stop it?

[Stargazing]

dd is nearly 2 and has sucked her thumb since about 3 months. The dentist said we need to put a stop to it sooner rather than later ... any ideas that've worked for you? she does it mostly absent-mindedly, or when upset/ sleepy

tia

Message withdrawn

We had fantastic results with www.thumbguard.co.uk. It's pricey, but it worked within two weeks. Ds was just under 2 also.

really ,they should be stopped this yuong? My dd is 21 mo and i dont know if i can bear to stop her, she won't understand why . does it really do that much damage? I was a thumb sucker till i was aabout 6 and my teeth are fine; maybe i was lucky.

I was a thumb sucker until I broke my arm at age 11yrs and couldn't get it into my mouth anymore because of the plastercast. Tried the thumb on the other hand for a while but was never quite the same!

I suppose at least it is an instant comfort and looks much nicer than seeing a child with a dummy. You could just start saving for the orthodontist...

Good luck!

i am 40 and renowned for it so sorry no advice!

I would have thought it would only be able to cause a major problem if they were still thumb sucking when their permanent teeth came through. This is what babycentre says:

The British Dental Foundation advises discouraging thumb-sucking as it can result in problems as the teeth grow and develop, particularly if she is still using it as a comfort when her permanent teeth are coming through. However, until then it is unlikely to cause a serious problem though you should be aware that not all children's thumb sucking is equally damaging. Experts say it's the intensity of the sucking and the tongue's thrust that deforms teeth and makes braces necessary later. Children who rest their thumbs passively in their mouths are less likely to have difficulty than children who suck aggressively. Watch your child and analyse her technique. If she sucks vigorously, you may want to begin curbing her habit earlier, say at age 4.

thanks Seona, that has really reassured me. Dd doesnt suck vigorously and i would prefer her to have the comfort for a while longer, at least till she will understand a bit better why not to do it!

My parents used that horrible stuff to stop you biting your nails on my sister..... tastes HORRIBLE!
Make sure it's all over the thumb.... (both of them actually, or said child will just start sucking the other one!)

i sucked my thumb till about 11. no tooth probs. people are very funny about things like that, also nail biting. what is problem?

my boyfriend is a dentist, says he's happy that our son sucks his thumb, as gives much comfort, he's happy if his son is happy!

My DS2 sucked his thumb and I never made an issue of it or even commented on it. It helped him get to sleep and he liked it. He really only did when sleepy or watching tv mostly.

At about 3 and half, he announced that he wasn't going to do it anymore (perhaps someone had said something at nursery?). He stopped completely for about two weeks, did it a few times and then stopped completely again.

My dentist said that thumbsucking has splayed his teeth a little but that he was too young to worry about it.

i dread to think what would happen if we tried to stop dd sucking her thumb

My dd is 12 months next week, and she is using a dummy - I am desperate for her to give it up! She only ever has in when she sleeps - night time and day time naps - never ever when she is up and about. But she wakes up a few times every night looking and crying for the lost dummy - when and how do we wean her off it?