Are you concerned about your child’s thumb sucking habit? Guest post by Dr. Amy Cassinelli at Peak Pediatric Dentistry

Sucking is a natural reflex and infants and young children may use thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and other objects on which to suck. It may make them feel secure and happy, or provide a sense of security at difficult periods. Since thumb sucking is relaxing, it may induce sleep.

Thumb sucking that persists beyond the eruption of the permanent teeth can cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and tooth alignment. How intensely a child sucks on fingers or thumbs will determine whether or not dental problems may result. Children who rest their thumbs passively in their mouths are less likely to have difficulty than those who vigorously suck their thumbs.  Thumb sucking can create unusual tooth and jaw alignment, making formation of sounds during speech extremely difficult.  We often see open bites in children who suck their thumbs.  These open bites make formation of speech sounds where the tongue touches the back of the teeth almost impossible.  

Persistent thumb sucking causes the muscles in the front of the mouth (lips and surrounding area) to overdevelop, while other muscles (e.g., the masseter) are not as active. This can cause a forward position of the tongue at rest and during swallowing. These factors in combination may lead to a persistent tongue thrust which can further influence the oral muscle development, occlusion, alignment of teeth, and speech.

Tongue thrust is often accompanied by occlusal and alignment problems and can also be associated with articulation errors. Sounds that are most often distorted by inaccurate tongue placement include tongue tip sounds /s, z, t, d, l, n/. Other sounds may be distorted if the oral structures are not in proper relationship, such as the case of a high and narrow palatal vault. Bunching of the tongue can affect palatal sounds, such as /S and dz/.

Dr. Cassinelli often works in conjunction with SAGE Speech & Learning’s team to correct a tongue thrust.  Retraining the muscles must be done with both an appliance and therapy.  Dr. Cassinelli places the appliance, often called a bluegrass appliance, which helps teach the tongue to rest in proper position.  Swallowing therapy by a certified Speech Pathologist works with the child to develop sounds that have been distorted due tongue thrust.

Dr. Cassinelli always prefers a pacifier to a finger or thumb sucking habit. While pacifiers can affect the teeth essentially the same way as sucking fingers and thumbs, Pacifier habits can be more easily broken than finger and thumb habits. If you have concerns about thumb sucking or use of a pacifier, consult your pediatric dentist.