Thumb sucking

A common occurrence and habit in infants and young children, thumb sucking may cause a development of misaligned teeth or a malformed roof of the mouth. Although this habit is usually dropped at the age of four, if the habit does continue after the permanent teeth have erupted this may have serious consequences, such as issues with the position of the upper and lower jaw and affected speech. At Advanced Dental Bronx – Children's Dentist, we recommend several options for parents to try to break their child’s habits;

Show your child examples of the consequences of sucking their thumb, such as what could happen to their teeth or fingers/thumb if they continue

Use a reward system, or a way to reward your child to break their habit

Wait until the time is right to speak with them on the matter