Share:

If your little one is a thumb sucker, they might drift off to sleep peacefully night after night while you worry about future dental problems. Fortunately, the children’s dentistry experts at Sarah E. Frye, DDS, PA, in Lexington, NC, can help even the most determined child break their thumb-sucking habit. Below, these dentists share a few proven remedies for thumb sucking. 

How to Get Your Child to Stop Sucking Their Thumb

Offer Incentives 

Often, all a child needs to stop sucking their thumb is a little positive encouragement. Offer incentives for nights of thumb-free sleep, including stickers, small toys, or extra stories at bedtime. When your child succeeds at sleeping without sucking their thumb, tell them how proud you are. 

Try Topical Ointments

dentistryIf sticker charts and accolades don’t work, try topical anti-thumb sucking ointments. Some ointments are made with food-safe additives that make the thumb or the fingernails smell or taste strange, discouraging thumb sucking. 

Consider Oral Habit Appliances

For especially tenacious thumb suckers, talk with your child’s dentist about creating a custom oral habit appliance. These devices are worn nightly around the teeth and are designed to change the shape of the roof of the mouth to make thumb sucking less comfortable. If you don’t like the idea of using oral appliances, some dentists can prescribe arm braces that make it difficult for children to insert their thumb into their mouths. 

 

Is your child struggling with thumb-sucking? Protect their oral health today by talking with a children’s dentistry professional. Sarah E. Frye, DDS, PA, focuses on preventive and restorative dentistry, in addition to helping with sealants, root canal therapy, and orthodontics. To learn more about their services, visit their website or call (336) 248-5057 today.

tracking