A few years ago, I started thinking carefully about what I could do to improve my smile. I had lived with crooked, yellowed teeth for most of my adult life, and honestly, I just wanted to feel beautiful. I started thinking about working with a cosmetic dentist, and before I knew it, I was in an office getting a complimentary consultation. I learned about a variety of different procedures that could improve my look, and it was really fun. I wanted to create a blog all about making smiles more beautiful, which is why I made this website. Check out this blog for great information about dentistry.
You may have heard the old accusation that sucking your thumb can give you buckteeth, and if you have a child who sucks their thumb, you may be wondering if they are indeed affecting their oral health by their habit. Truth be told, there really are a few dangers to your child's teeth if they are chronic thumb suckers. Discover how thumb sucking is bad for your child's teeth here.
Malocclusion
Malocclusion roughly translates to 'bad bite', and is something that you should worry about in your child. Malocclusion is the misalignment of teeth when the mouth is closed, and is a fairly common occurrence that can be taken care of with orthodontic treatment. Malocclusion may be caused by the following:
If your child closes their mouth and you can see gaps between their front and top teeth or their teeth touch on one side and not the other, they may have malocclusion. This should be inspected by an orthodontist to see what should be done to correct any deformities in the formation of your child's teeth. Since young children are more likely to develop malocclusion due to crooked teeth and a misshapen roof of their mouth when they suck their thumbs, your orthodontist may recommend that you find ways to end your child's habit.
Buckteeth
There is some small truth to the buckteeth and thumb sucking theory, although it's not as common as you'd think. Children who aggressively suck their thumbs may cause their permanent teeth to come in at a slight angle, but the misalignment is not usually severe. What dentists usually get concerned about is your child's baby teeth, which can be more heavily impacted by thumb sucking than adult teeth are. Your orthodontist may recommend methods to help your child stop sucking their thumb, such as placing a bandage on their thumb to make it uncomfortable to suck or by placing a sock or glove on your child's hand at night to discourage the behavior.
If you can get your child to stop sucking their thumb, you can reduce the chances of crooked teeth or malocclusion happening to them. Your dentist or orthodontist can recommend many ways to help your child resist the urge to put their thumb in their mouth. The sooner you can end the behavior, the more likely your child is to have a healthy, straight set of teeth.
Speak with a local orthodontist or click here to investigate.
Share2 September 2015
