What is the cause of Thumbsucking in womb?

Many parents are concerned about their children’s thumb sucking habits, so before we get started, let’s make one thing clear: thumb sucking is normal. It’s not something to be concerned about in young children. Babies often start sucking their thumbs while they’re still in the womb—it’s no wonder it’s such a hard habit to break! The action of sucking helps infants self-soothe and once established, the habit often extends into early childhood. Here are the facts about thumb sucking.


Why the Fuss About Thumb Sucking?


Thumb sucking is normal, healthy, and human. So why do so many parents stress about it? Likely because there are a lot of misconceptions out there about the effects of thumb sucking on children’s teeth. People seem to think that thumb sucking habits doom children to crooked teeth and years of wearing braces. No one wants their children to need extensive orthodontic treatment or face teasing from other kids because of their teeth, so parents spend a lot of time worrying about thumb sucking and discouraging the habit in babies and toddlers.

Before you pull your baby’s thumb out of their mouth, rest assured that it’s very unlikely that a baby or even a toddler will change the way their adult teeth erupt with a thumb sucking habit. Thumb sucking provides babies with a sense of calm and security. It helps them fall asleep and comforts them when they’re upset. And it does all this without harming their teeth.


When Thumb Sucking Is a Problem


That’s not to say that thumb sucking is never a problem, though. Most children naturally drop the thumb sucking habit between the ages of two and four. This timing is perfect because it’s well before the permanent teeth begin to erupt. It’s when thumb sucking extends beyond this time that it becomes a problem and has the potential to start to influence the position of the permanent teeth in the mouth, the palate, and jaw development.

There’s an exception to this rule: if a child is an “aggressive thumbsucker,” their primary teeth can develop problems. If your child sucks on their thumb a bit, but mostly rests it in their mouth, it’s less likely to cause lasting damage than in children who vigorously suck on their thumbs. This type of thumb sucking should be addressed at a younger age.


How to Stop the Thumb Sucking Habit


If your child has reached the age of four and still sucks their thumb, it’s time to start working on stopping the habit. At this age, your child is old enough to be motivated by positive reinforcement and even rewards. Rather than punishing them for thumb sucking, praise them when they don’t suck their thumb. Nighttime thumb sucking can be avoided by putting a sock or mitten on the hands before bedtime. 

Should these methods fail, we can prescribe a bitter-tasting solution to help train your child not to suck their thumb or consider a habit appliance, an early orthodontic treatment used to prevent thumb and finger sucking. Both are highly effective when other attempts to break the habit haven’t been successful.


Learn More About Thumb Sucking and Teeth


If you’d like to discuss your child’s thumb sucking habit and how it impacts their teeth, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric dentists. We have four New Jersey locations including: Freehold 732-625-8080, North Brunswick 732-249-1010, Edison 732-549-3773, or Roselle 908-245-5556 .

Many infants and children suck their thumbs. Some even start sucking their thumbs when they are still in the womb.

Thumb sucking can make children feel secure and happy. They may suck their thumbs when they are tired, hungry, bored, stressed, or when they are trying to calm down or fall asleep.

What is the cause of Thumbsucking in womb?

A herpetic whitlow is an infection of the herpes virus around the fingernail. In children, this is often caused by thumbsucking or finger sucking while they have a cold sore. It is seen in adult healthcare workers such as dentists because of increased exposure to the herpes virus. The use of rubber gloves prevents herpes whitlow in healthcare workers.

What is the cause of Thumbsucking in womb?

Thumbsucking is a normal activity with its peak occurrence at about age two. Thumbsucking can be an important source of pleasure for an infant and is usually nothing to worry about since a child will usually grow out of the habit. If thumbsucking occurs past age 4, dental problems may occur such as malocclusion. Malocclusion is the abnormal contact between the teeth of the upper and lower jaw.

Information

Do not be too concerned if your child sucks his thumb.

Do not punish or nag your child to make them stop. Most children stop sucking their thumb on their own, by the time they are 3 to 4 years old. They grow out of sucking their thumb and find other ways to comfort themselves.

Older children most often stop from peer pressure at school. But if your child feels pressured to stop, they may want to suck their thumb more. Understand that sucking their thumb is how your child calms and comforts themselves.

It is OK for children to suck their thumb until their adult teeth start coming in, at around age 6. Damage to the teeth or the roof of the mouth seems to happen more if a child sucks hard. If your child does this, try to help them stop sucking their thumb by age 4 to prevent damage.

If your child's thumb gets red and chapped, put cream or lotion on it.

Help your child stop thumb sucking.

Know that it is a hard habit to break. Start talking to your child about stopping when they are 5 or 6 years old and you know their adult teeth are coming in soon. Also, give help if thumb sucking embarrasses your child.

If you know when your child most often sucks their thumb, find other ways for your child to find comfort and feel secure.

  • Offer a toy or a stuffed animal.
  • Put your child down for a nap earlier when you notice they are getting sleepy.
  • Help them talk out their frustrations instead of sucking on their thumb to calm down.

Give support to your child when they try to stop sucking their thumb.

Praise your child for not sucking their thumb.

Ask your child's dentist or health care provider to talk to your child about stopping and to explain the reasons to stop. Also, ask your child's providers about:

  • Using a bandage or thumb guard to help your child.
  • Using dental appliances if your child's teeth and mouth have been affected.
  • Placing a bitter nail polish on the thumb nail. Be careful to use something that is safe for your child to consume.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. Healthychildren.org website. Pacifiers and thumb sucking. www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/crying-colic/Pages/Pacifiers-and-Thumb-Sucking.aspx. Updated November 29, 2020. Accessed September 29, 2021.

Martin B, Baumhardt H, D'Alesio A, Woods K. Oral disorders. In: Zitelli BJ, McIntire SC, Nowalk AJ, eds. Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 21.

Ryan CA, Walter HJ, DeMaso DR. Motor disorders and habits. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 37.

Version Info

Last reviewed on: 8/10/2021

Reviewed by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What is the cause of Thumbsucking in womb?