I have a two year old who sucks her thumb. Is this bad for her teeth?

by Amy R. Beach, FNP

Q:  I have a two year old who sucks her thumb.  Is this bad for her teeth?

A:  No, thumb sucking in a two year old is not a bad thing.  Sucking in newborns and young children is a natural reflex meaning children are born with this instinct.  Sucking can help a child feel secure and happy, and can help them feel comforted when they are hungry, afraid, restless, or need to go to sleep.  It  can be very convenient when a pacifier is not available!

Sucking only causes problems when it lasts too long, and the permanent teeth are coming in.  Usually children stop sucking on their own between the ages of 2-4 years.  However if a child does not give up the habit on their own, they continue to suck by age 4 and up, and are losing their baby teeth, it can become a concern.  If sucking is occurring at this time, particularly if it is a vigorous suck, the mouth may not have proper growth, and there may be misalignment of the permanent teeth.  Usually this results in the child needing orthodontia work at a later age.  Vigorous sucking at this age can also lead to mispronunciation of words. 

If your child is older and is a thumb sucker, there are a few things that can be tried to attempt and break the habit.  At this age, it can be beneficial to involve your child in choosing the method of quitting and to explain the reason they need to quit.  Reward charts and frequent praise can be given for days or periods of time spent not thumb sucking.  Limits can be placed on when thumb sucking is allowed, for example, only before bed in the bedroom or only in the car.  If these attempts are not successful and the child has a hard time remembering, bitter commercial products suck as THUM or homemade remedies, i.e. vinegar or pickle juice, can be applied to the thumb to remind the child.  The thumb can also be wrapped in an adhesive bandage or a sock can be put on the hand at night.

Usually with diligence these methods are generally successful and most children, by the time they enter school, have stopped the habit.