Will thumb sucking damage my son’s permanent teeth?
According to Dr. Richard Udin, D.D.S., program director of pediatric dentistry at the USC School of Dentistry, a large percentage of infants will either suck their finger or a pacifier. “Most children will stop the habit by the time they enter preschool or kindergarten—which can be attributed to the child becoming more socially conscious that other children are not using the pacifier in school—although some children will persist in sucking a finger past that time,” he says. Udin says parents should become concerned if the habit persists when the permanent incisors erupt at age six. The significance of a finger sucking habit or use of a pacifier causing problems to the development of teeth can be related to the frequency and intensity at which the finger is sucked and the duration of the habit, he points out. “Children who continue to use pacifiers or suck their fingers for long periods of time and exert excessive pressure can develop problems with the alignment of the upper and lower teeth,” Udin says. “Parents might notice the upper teeth begin to flare outward and the lower teeth are pushed inwards.” A parent’s goal should be to avoid these problems from occurring by working to stop a finger habit or pacifier use before these changes to the teeth occur, he concludes.
Richard Udin, Director and Associate Professor
Pediatric Dentistry
USC School of Dentistry
