Thumb-sucking

Sucking thumbs or fingers is a natural reflex in babies and young children. Most children grow out of sucking their thumbs or fingers at 2-4 years of age.

If your child is still sucking their thumb or fingers after they turn 4, you might want to encourage them to stop. Here are ideas:

• Gently remind your child to stop.
• Find ways to distract your child from thumb-sucking.
• Praise your child – for example, ‘That’s great. I can hear your words clearly when your thumb isn’t in your mouth’.
• Use a reward chart. For example, you could give your child a sticker or token each time you see that they aren’t sucking their thumb or fingers.

Sucking that goes on over many years can affect the growth of a child’s jaws and the way their teeth line up. It might cause permanent dental problems if it keeps going when adult teeth start to come through. If you’re concerned that your child’s thumb-sucking and finger-sucking are causing dental problems, talk to your dentist.

Children are more likely to suck their thumbs or fingers when they’re tired, stressed, hungry or sleeping.

Teeth-grinding

Teeth-grinding in preschoolers is common and doesn’t usually need treatment.

Some children clench their jaws quite firmly, and others grind their teeth so hard that it makes a noise. Some children grind their teeth during sleep. Often, they don’t wake up when they do it – but other people do!

Most of the time, teeth-grinding doesn’t last and doesn’t cause damage to your child’s teeth. But if teeth-grinding does keep going, you might want to talk to your dentist or GP. It could lead to your child having headaches and tooth or jaw pain or wearing down their teeth.

Injuries to teeth

Injuries to your child’s face and teeth can happen when they’re running, climbing, riding scooters and bikes and so on. It’s important to see a dentist or GP if your child damages their teeth or face.

If your child knocks out a baby tooth, don’t try to put it back in, because this can damage the adult tooth that’s developing under the gum.

Losing a baby tooth before it’s ready to come out usually isn’t a serious dental problem, but it’s important to take your child to the dentist immediately for a check-up. Take the knocked-out tooth too.

The dentist can reassure you and your child that an adult tooth will eventually fill the space and that any pain or tenderness will soon go.