Thumbsucking and Oral Health

 

Does your child suck their thumb? Thumbsucking is a normal reflex that many young children practice for comfort and relaxation. But prolonged thumbsucking can affect your child’s oral health, resulting in issues like misaligned teeth.  At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, Dr. Roopi Kattaura is passionate about your child’s oral health, from thumbsucking to cavities. Call our office today if you have any questions.

Thumbsucking and Your Child’s Teeth

Passive thumbsucking which is simply holding the thumb in the mouth doesn’t damage the teeth. But thumbsucking with a lot of motion or active thumbsucking causes misaligned teeth, damage to the roof of the mouth, and changes to the shape of the jawbone such as overbite issues. 

Thumbsucking becomes an issue when your child’s first tooth appears. Your Parker, CO dentist sees patients of all ages, so contact Ardas Family Dental to address thumbsucking right away.

How to Stop Your Child’s Thumbsucking

Typically, children stop sucking their thumbs between the ages of two to four. If thumbsucking continues past these ages, there are several ways to help wean your child off this habit:

-Include praise or positive reinforcement when your child doesn’t suck their thumb

-Focus on alleviating anxiety. Since thumbsucking is a source of comfort when children are anxious, try to eliminate that anxiety.

-Involve your child in the process. If you have an older child who is still thumbsucking include them in the process to stop this habit, by setting gentle reminders and goals to accomplish.

If your child’s thumbsucking habit is still a concern, contact our office in Parker, CO today. Your dentist can prescribe medication or devices to hinder your child from sucking their thumb. 

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

National Children's Dental Health Month

At Ardas Family Dental, we stress the importance of taking care of your children’s teeth from an early age. As soon as their baby teeth come in, we advise you to bring your children in for a dental cleaning. The earlier you begin to take care of your children’s teeth and gums, the greater their chance for healthy teeth when they’re older.

Every February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, which raises awareness about the importance of oral health. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, although it is preventable when they practice good oral hygiene. We advise our patients to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss to prevent cavities.

We encourage our patients to eat a healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Consuming foods and drinks that contain too much sugar and acids put kids at a greater risk of tooth decay and cavities.

Don’t forget to begin brushing your children’s teeth as soon as their baby teeth come in. Although they will fall out, pain from tooth decay can delay a child's development. Good oral hygiene at a young age will set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.

To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roopi Kattaura of Ardas Family Dental, visit www.ardasfamilydental.com for more information or call 720-459-8420.