Oral Habits

Most children stop sucking on thumbs, pacifiers or other objects on their own between two and four years of age. No harm is done to the teeth or jaws. However, some children repeatedly suck on a finger, pacifier or other object over long periods of time. In these children, the upper front teeth may tip toward the lip or not come in properly.

Our Pediatric Dentist will watch the way your child`s teeth come in and jaws develop, keeping the sucking habit in mind at all times.

For most children there is no reason to worry about a sucking habit until the permanent front teeth are ready to come in.

Most children stop sucking habits on their own, but some children need the help of their parents and our Dentist. When the child is old enough to understand the possible results of a sucking habit, our Dentist can encourage your child to stop as well as talk about what happens to the teeth if your child doesn`t stop. This advice coupled with support from parents, helps most children quit. If this approach doesn`t work, our Dentist may recommend a mouth appliance that blocks the habit until the child can stop.