DD 22 months an enthusiastic thumbsucker - how to encourage her to stop?

[extremelychocolateymilkroll]

Dd had a dummy until at 4 months she preferred her thumb. At the time I was delighted but, as others have said, the good thing about dummies is that you can throw them away. She sucks her thumb a lot during the day and when she is tired of course. Our dentist has said we should really try to discourage her - but how?

I saw our dentist last week and told her about DD2 (nearly 3) who sucks her thumb. She said not to even worry about it till she's 4ish. No point as they don't understand cause and effect. She's a very good dentist who has her own children, one of whom was a thumb-sucker!

Thanks wishingchair - very reassuring.

you will not be able to stop her until she is old enough to understand cause and effect - and even thne it is very difficult. Unlike a dummy you cannot throw a thumb in the bin. My son was a thumb addict for 8 years, and we tried star charts, stop n grow, plasters etc etc to no effect - basically because it is comforting and feels good. It wasn't until he could see the damage done to his teeth that he stopped. We are now, 4 years later, embarking on a 3 year orthodonic programme costing over £3000 baecause of the damage done.

My 2 are both avid thumb / finger suckers (ages 5 and 3) as was I and all my siblings -4 of us. And only 1 of my siblings had to have a brace, a removable one at that.
I didn't stop until I just grew out of it at 11. I really don't worry about it at all, some people who don't suck their thumbs need dental work aswell as some that do.
I don;t think you can stop a toddler at all.