Thumb Sucking - McKinney,TX

You may want to do a search of the mamasource site because this is a topic that comes up frequently and I know I've responded to it many times, especially since two of my three children sucked there thumbs. From my experience 16 months is too young to try stopping it. The rule of thumb (unintentional pun!) is that if you get them to stop before the permanent teeth start coming in (about 5 years) then it shouldn't have a negative impact on her teeth.

If you are really wanting her to stop, they have thumb sucking guards. Just google it

I would stop it right now. I sucked my thumb until I was 8 y/o. I'm now in my 30's and still have problems with my teeth. The younger you stop this, the better off your baby will be. BUT you, your spouse, and other care takers all have to be on the same page. You can't make her stop and have someone else letting her suck her thumb. The decision has to be made and everyone has to support it. Good Luck.

at least they are baby teeth! you may want to make an appt with the dentist to ease any concern that you may have. i am sure they have seen a lot of kids that have sucked their thumb and would be better able to give you tips on how to get her to stop or tell you not be concerned until she is... when i was the dentist with my 2 year old i overheard the dentist talking to a parent of a thumbsucker. if i had a thumbsucker that is what i would do just to ease any concerns. my second daughter is 15 months old and uses one of those soothie pacifiers from the hospital. i feel they are affecting her teeth as well b/c my first daughter used the other kind of pacifiers and her teeth are so straight. who knows! good luck

I know they have a thumb guard at One Step Ahead. Just go to their website. I am sure I will need to get one eventually for my son. He only sucks his thumb at night but still one of his front teeth is getting crooked. It sticks out further than the other front tooth because he sucks his thumb to the side! lol I just dont know when I am going to start trying to get him to stop. He just turned 2. Update us and let is know what you decide and how it worked :)

K.

My daughter is also a thumb sucker and everything I've read is that thumb sucking and pacifier sucking are very different. There's no need to stop thumb sucking by age 2 (or so) like there is with pacifiers. If you're really concerned, talk to your pediatrician or dentist.

My Mom got rid of my paci when I was around 2 and just like your daughter I took to thumb sucking...till I was 12 yrs old..Thank God it never affected my teeth or my thunmb..I know that I could have ended up having buck teeth..
She tried everything nothing worked..I finally kicked it on my own...(other kids my age thought I was weird for doing it)..My son now bites his nails he's two I'm finding this to be a bad habit that is very hard to kick and the pediatricians don't seem concerned at all about it at all.I just wash his hands all the time I don't want him to get sick..when I catch him doing it I tell him not to, I don't know what else to do.

I don't know of anything that would help her stop sucking her thumb. She will stop when she is ready and who knows when that will be. As far as her teeth go you might ask your dentist, but I don't sucking your thumb will affect your permanent teeth. Unless she is still sucking her thumb when they come in.