Thumbs, Pacifiers, and the Age to Stop

Sucking a thumb or a pacifier calms a young child, and for a while it does no harm. The question for parents is when the habit starts to affect teeth and jaw growth. We hear these questions from families across Orange County, so here are clear answers.

When Do Children Stop Sucking Their Thumbs?

According to MouthHealthy, the American Dental Association’s consumer site, most children give up the habit between the ages of two and four, or by the time the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. The timing is the key detail, because baby teeth and permanent teeth respond differently.

Do Pacifiers Affect Teeth the Same Way?

Pacifiers can affect the teeth in much the same way a thumb does, according to MouthHealthy. The timing guidance for thumb sucking carries over to pacifier use, so parents can use the same ages when deciding when to step in.

What Happens If the Habit Continues?

Once the permanent teeth come in, sucking may cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and alignment of the teeth. It can also change the roof of the mouth.

The American Association of Orthodontists adds that sucking habits continuing beyond age four may lead to problems. Teeth may be pushed forward, an open bite may develop, and bone may become misshapen. An open bite means the front teeth don’t meet when the mouth closes. That’s why the timing in the earlier answers matters.

Which Children Face More Risk?

The ADA notes that intensity plays a role, since vigorous thumb-suckers are more at risk than children who rest a thumb gently in the mouth. A child who sucks hard puts more force on the teeth and the palate. Parents who notice vigorous sucking can raise it at the next dental visit.

How Can Parents Help a Child Let Go?

The ADA suggests a gentle approach:

• Praise the child for going without
• Address the cause, since stress or boredom may drive the habit
• Involve the child in choosing a plan
• Use reminders, such as a bandage on the thumb or a sock on the hand

Calm, steady encouragement can keep the habit from becoming a power struggle. If those steps don’t work, a dentist may suggest a bitter coating for the thumb or an appliance that makes the habit harder to keep up.

Timing for a first orthodontist visit varies by child, so parents unsure about the right age can raise the habit at a dental checkup. Bringing up the habit early lets the team plan around it.

When Should an Orthodontist Take a Look?

A habit that lingers past the ages above deserves an evaluation. Parents who want a professional look at the bite can visit an Orange County orthodontist who treats children and can explain what the habit has changed so far. At that visit, the orthodontist checks the bite, the roof of the mouth, and how the front teeth meet.

An evaluation can also identify other concerns beyond the habit itself. Parents watching for bite and spacing changes at home can find examples under evaluation before age seven, and the same signs apply here.

What Treatment Can Follow?

If the habit has shifted the teeth, the orthodontist chooses a plan based on the child’s growth, the bite, and how long the habit lasted. Some children need only monitoring. Others benefit from appliances or braces.

Older kids and teens may move toward Orange County braces once the permanent teeth are in. The orthodontist times that step to the child’s growth.

Parents who want to compare their options can also read about orthodontic help for kids. Each plan is built around the child’s growth and the bite.

How Does Our Office Care for Children?

At John Redmond Orthodontics, Dr. M. John Redmond provides pediatric and adult orthodontics, braces, clear aligners, InBrace, airway treatment, and TMJ treatment, and we use iTero digital scanning. We practice in San Clemente and serve families throughout Orange County.

Dr. Redmond belongs to the American Association of Orthodontists, the California Dental Association, and the Orange County Dental Association. Parents can also ask a San Clemente pediatric orthodontist how the office approaches young patients.

Where Should a Parent Start?

Every child gives up a comforting habit on a different schedule, and some children need extra support. If your child is past the ages above, you can get in touch with us to look at how the bite is developing, and an Orange County orthodontist can talk through what the habit has or hasn’t changed.