Many infants and toddlers use thumb sucking or pacifiers to self-soothe. While this is normal behavior at younger ages, as your child gets into their preschool years, these habits can cause damage to your child's teeth. Below are some ideas to get your child to stop needing to suck their thumb or use a pacifier:
- Try limiting behavior first. It may be hard to stop the habit cold turkey, but you might be able to convince a child to stop it during daytime hours or nap time. Reward charts and other positive rewards can help you encourage them to snuggle with a plush animal instead of sticking something in their mouth.
- Start a reward chart. Some children love the sense of accomplishment they feel using a reward chard. You can give your child a special treat for earning 10 or more stickers per chart.
- Allow the child to take a special toy to bed. Sometimes allowing a kid to take a special toy to bed helps them transition away from the thumb sucking or pacifier use. This could be something you buy for them, but it could also be a favorite harder toy you might not normally allow them to take to bed.
- Deploy the pacifier fairy. Some parents use this spin on the "tooth fairy" to get them to give up their pacifiers. The pacifier fairies give their old pacifiers to a baby, and in return, they get some prize waking up the next day.
As your child's pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to keep your child's smile healthy. If you have any questions for our office, feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.
About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists
Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are doctor spouses who have been working as kids dentists in Tucson for years. They have deep ties to Tucson, as well as the surrounding Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and other areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children. If you’re looking for a general dentist for kids in Tucson, contact us today at (520) 544-8522.