Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking

Extended use of pacifiers or thumb sucking can eventually lead to damage to your child’s teeth. If your child continues sucking their thumb or continually using their pacifier past the age of about four, it can lead to crooked teeth and speech problems. In some cases, the upper part of the jaw can even become malformed. It is often easier to get a child to stop using a pacifier rather than sucking their thumb.

The amount of damage to the teeth really consists of a few things; how often your child is sucking their thumb or pacifier, how long, and the intensity to which they suck on it.

Here are some useful tips to help break the habit of pacifier use and thumb sucking:

• Make sure the timing is right
• Choose a low stress environment
• Reward your child when he/she is not sucking
• Read the book, “David decides about thumb sucking-A story for children, A guide for parents” written by Susan Heitler, PHD