We’re very proud at Fresh Meadows Dental Care that parents rely on Dr. Hakimzadeh and our staff for information about their children’s oral health. Many first-time parents have heard that thumb sucking and pacifiers are bad for their child’s tooth development, but don’t know how much of a problem it is. We’ve provided them this guide.
Children under the age of four commonly suck their thumbs or a pacifier as a means of comforting themselves. Because their facial bones are more flexible than those of adults or older children, this isn’t usually a problem. But around the age of five, children lose their first baby teeth and permanent teeth start erupting. At this point, thumb sucking becomes a dangerous habit, as the pressure can cause children to develop overbites, misaligned jaws, and overcrowded bites.
If this habit persists when the child is over the age of four, try including them in positive efforts to change their behavior. Often, when children have a deep—seated source of anxiety which is motivating this habit, they will substitute thumb sucking with pushing their tongue against their teeth, which results in the same kinds of misalignment. There are orthodontic devices which can discourage children from tongue thrusting, but in these cases, we also recommend attention from a psychologist.
Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit FreshMeadowsDental.com and fill out a contact form.
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