Thumb Sucking and Pacifier: How Affects Kids’ Oral Health

All babies are born with a natural need to suck, which plays a crucial role in their ability to eat and drink. For many infants, sucking has a calming effect. As a parent, you might be concerned about your child’s thumb sucking or pacifier use, wondering if it’s harmful, when it should stop, or the consequences if it continues.

While thumb sucking and pacifier use are normal behaviors in infancy, prolonged habits can put pressure on the teeth and jaws, potentially leading to bite problems and other dental issues. Regular thumb, finger, pacifier, or tongue sucking can affect the development of your child’s teeth and jaw, with some changes in bone structure visible as early as 18 months.

In this article, we’ll explore the effects of thumb sucking and pacifiers, along with tips for managing these habits to prevent long-term effects.

Why do Children like Thumb Sucking and Pacifiers?

From birth, babies have a natural sucking reflex. The baby will try to satisfy this need with the mother’s breast, a pacifier, a thumb, or another. However, many Dental Associations support parents in the decision to introduce a pacifier. The controlled action of sucking is not only a vital reflex for the baby to obtain food, but it also promotes feelings of security and allows infants to self-soothe and initiate the process of self-regulation.

Pacifiers and thumb sucking: the positive side!

While pacifiers and thumb sucking are often reviled for their potential risks of dental problems, they offer certain benefits. Experts have identified four specific advantages of pacifiers — and even thumb-sucking:

● Self-soothing

Pacifiers are an excellent way to teach a baby to self-soothe. Many times, they give parents a valuable break.

● Help in weaning

Pacifiers may come in handy when weaning a baby off breastfeeding. However, a suitable nursing regime must be established; this usually occurs in the first 3 to 4 weeks before initiating a pacifier on a newborn.

● Prevention of SIDS

Some of the advantages of its use include being associated with reduced risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the introduction of a pacifier during napping and at bedtime.

The pacifier should not be attached to straps, clothes, or toys because such attachments can pose a risk of choking or strangulation.

● Comforting Premature Infants

For premature babies, particularly those in the neonatal intensive care unit, sucking on pacifiers can be comforting. Research from 2012 indicated that premature babies who received pacifiers advanced from tube feeding to nursing more quickly and were discharged from the NICU earlier than those who were not given pacifiers.

Note: Do not provide pacifiers for healthy babies who are having difficulty nursing unless a healthcare provider or lactation consultant recommends it.

What are the Effects of Thumb Sucking on Oral Development?

Thumb sucking is a natural, non-nutritive reflex, and it often starts early after birth. Very comforting and reassuring to the child, long-term thumb sucking can lead to quite a few dental problems and can even persist into adulthood, affecting the teeth and jaw.

Some common dental issues faced by thumb suckers include:

● The upper jaw extends further than normal.

● Upper front teeth protrude outward, resulting in an overbite.

● Lower front teeth tilt inward instead of aligning straight.

● A gap between the upper and lower teeth develops, affecting the bite

● Difficulty bringing the front teeth together to bite.

● The roof of the mouth becomes narrower and higher.

● A lisp develops.

● The tongue is positioned abnormally.

During the first year, about one in three babies suck their thumb, with most children naturally stopping between ages two and four. However, by age eight, only one in 20 has the habit.

If your child continues thumb-sucking as their baby teeth come in, it’s important to consult a dentist. They may want to monitor your child’s dental development closely to prevent potential complications.

How Does Pacifier Use Impact Your Child’s Teeth?

Did you know? The use of pacifiers in some developed countries is so culturally established that the prevalence is up to 42.5% in young children by the age of 12 months! That’s a lot, isn’t it? While pacifiers offer several benefits, they can also lead to dental issues, especially if used for too long, such as:

Misaligned bites:

● Overuse can cause bite misalignment, such as crossbites, open bites, or other malocclusions.

● Prolonged pacifier use may shift teeth and alter the shape of the palate.

● A 2001 study found that 71% of children who continued pacifier use or thumb-sucking past age 4 had malocclusion.

● Only 36% of children who stopped by ages 3 to 4, and just 14% of those who stopped by 24 months, showed signs of malocclusion.

Gingival recession and cavities:

● In extreme cases, pacifier use has been linked to gum recession and cavities.

● These issues often occur when pacifiers are dipped in sweet substances, leading to sugar exposure, plaque buildup, and cavities.

Tips to Help Stop Thumb Sucking

Use one or more of these approaches to help your child break thumb-sucking:

Substitute the habit

Because thumb-sucking often is an unconscious activity, encourage the habit of making fists or holding a small special toy in the hand.

Use rewards

Set specific goals with your child and reward your child for not sucking his or her thumb for a specified amount of time. Positive reinforcement, through the use of a sticker chart, small rewards, or fun surprises, can motivate them to continue.

Gently remind your child

Whenever you notice them sucking, calmly steer them away from it without threatening or punishing them.If these approaches are unsuccessful, talk to your pediatric dentist. They may prescribe an orthodontic appliance to make the teeth eventually shift in response to this habit, provide a bitter medication to put on the thumb, or even prescribe a thumb guard.

If you decide to try one of these approaches, you should discuss these options with your provider first.

Tips on using pacifiers the right way

Pacifiers can be safely used if you maintain hygiene and wean your baby off them at the right time, that is about 3 years of age according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Follow these tips for safe use:

Avoid sharing

Don’t share pacifiers between children. This can spread bacteria, leading to cavities and infections. Also, don’t forget to replace it every 4-6 weeks.

No sugary dips

Resist the temptation to dip pacifiers in sweet substances, as sugar exposure can cause cavities.

Choose the right size

Pacifiers now come in different sizes for different age groups. Using the correct size helps avoid choking hazards and ensures a better fit.

Which is worse: pacifier use or thumb sucking?

Vigorous thumb-sucking can lead to dental issues similar to those caused by pacifier use. However, a 2016 study found that pacifier use carries a higher risk of developing malocclusion when compared to digit sucking.

In the end, both habits can be harmful over prolonged use and should be monitored closely.

Takeaway

Thumb-sucking and pacifier use are natural behaviors in infants but they can lead to dental issues if prolonged, such as bite misalignment and jaw changes. To minimize risks, it’s important to wean children off these habits at the appropriate age, maintain proper hygiene, and avoid sugary substances. Consulting a dentist for guidance on managing these behaviors will ensure healthy oral development.