At Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s western Los Angeles office, we strive to help everyone’s smile look great, including those of our youngest patients. Many new parents have questions about their children’s oral health, and we want to help them determine whether a child’s thumb sucking is becoming a problem.
Provided that they’re not sucking too hard, toddlers have little to worry about from thumb or pacifier sucking. However, as their baby teeth start falling out around the age of five and adult teeth come in, the pressure could become a problem. Overbites and other malocclusions, misaligned jaws, and warped upper palettes are all known to result from persistent thumb sucking.
Thumb sucking could be the result of anxiety which requires help from a child psychologist, and in severe cases, doctors may provide orthotic devices to discourage it. However, by the time a child is old enough for thumb sucking to be a problem it may be possible to include them in discussions about why it is harmful and how to stop. This is generally preferable to start with. It is also necessary that the child not push their tongue against their teeth as a substitute, as this will cause all the same problems.
Suzanne Haeri, DDS, of Cosmetic & General Dentistry, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.
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