Does Your Child Still Suck Their Thumb? Let's Talk!

As your child’s dentist, I often get asked when sucking habits become a problem. Sucking is natural for comfort, but past a certain age, it can affect how the jaw and teeth develop. According to professional guidelines, habits like thumb or finger sucking that continue past age three can increase the risk of teeth not biting together correctly.

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Example of teeth developing around child’s thumb.

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TGuard® AeroThumb anti-thumb sucking device.

The good news is that starting dental visits early allows us to monitor growth and help your child stop before long-term skeletal issues occur. We focus on patient-friendly approaches, but sometimes a physical reminder, like the thumb guard shown here, can be very effective. Our goal is always a healthy smile for your growing child.

The TGuard® AeroThumb anti-thumb sucking guard can be purchased for your child on Amazon here.

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