Ask Mamalette! Will Thumb Sucking Affect My Baby's teeth?

Thumb sucking is a common habit among babies, and it can be a tough habit to break.

Because babies develop a sense of security from sucking their thumb, some babies may be in the habit of sucking their thumb when they are in need of soothing, hungry or going to sleep.

A Mamalette asked this question on our platform;

"My 3 months old baby sucks her thumb. Mothers in the house, what effect will this have on her set of teeth when she grows?"

Our Mamalettes responded and these are a few of their responses

Some Mamalettes attested to the fact that it can affect her dentition......

"My 4 year old son is still sucking his thumb, he lost his milk teeth six months ago, now the permanent teeth has eventually showed up but on top of his gum. Even, his upper lip is kind of raised up. It is best to stop at an early age ooh, my candid advice, please."
Waamene Ejire Abee

"I tried to stop my baby but my mum gave me the "he will stop " lecture guess what? He is going to be 5 soon and he still sucks and it's even affecting his dentition."
Rebecca Spencer

"My son sucks his thumb only when he's hungry"
Agnes Uche Ezeonu

Some Mamalettes think, it won't .....

"It won't affect the teeth anything joor. The only thing that affect baby's teeth is if that child always open mouth whether awake whether sleeping. Sucking of thumb does not affect teeth"
Optimistic Princess Chimalume

"It wont affect her dentition.she may stop on her own(lucky u) or may suck till God knows when. If you don't like it, you can stop her by wearing her hand gloves. Some parents wish their kids to suck."
Obás Séýì

"Give your baby sucker instead of the fingers. Nothing affects the teeth."
Ezinne Constance Ndinne

While a Mamalette is of the opinion that her primary concern should be.......

"Think of how to stop her not effect of teeth.. please wear her hand warmer or socks all the time, and she'll stop. So you don't start caning her when she's old enough to stop and she doesn't"
Gladys Gibson Afangideh

A Mamalette highlights the disadvantages and offered a solution.......

"Hmmmmm, please STOP HER NOW!!!. That's how my son started o, and people kept telling me, leave him alone. But now only me dey go sleep for hospital when he falls sick. Children who suck their fingers get sick easily, because they touch anything and put it in their mouth. It will also alter his dentition if you don't stop him before age 4. His upper lip will also be raised.
My dear the disadvantage is greater than the advantage. Use socks/glove, bandage etc. And pray about it too, that's what I did."
Paulina Saviour Inyang

"She will stop it, my baby did same, but he later stopped it, even before his fourth month, worry less mama."
Stephine Tochi

Some Mamalettes shared their experience on how they stopped their baby.......

"I stopped my son . He is 4 months now. I wear him gloves."
Fatima Hussein Odogwu

"Dear poster, that's how my baby started ooooo. Its was war stopping her though she was not disturbing at all. With time it was difficult feeding her because she prefer breast or her thumb, until she stop by fire by force @ 11 months (by using plaster). For now the baby will not disturb you at all but when the sucking gets registered on her brain "na u go complain ooooo."
Omalicha Gabby Anigbogu

Mamalettes have varying opinion, but I'll say this, the best time to stop her is now, when she's still very young. Use plaster, hand gloves, anything to make her stop. Not just because of her dentition which may and may not be affected, but also because, soon when she grows up, it won't be funny anymore. And she will have to try hard to break free of this habit, so why not help her do it now?

What do you think? Leave your comments below.