Pediatric dentist in Great Neck NY
If you are looking for an excellent pediatric dentist, you will want to visit our dental practice, Great Neck Natural Smiles. Our
pediatric dentist in Great Neck NY, Dr. Howard K. Baylarian, will provide your child with excellent pediatric dental care, as well as provide information about important pediatric dental issues such as the effects of thumb sucking on teeth.
It is very common for children to suck on their thumbs or other fingers. When a child sucks on his or her thumb, or uses a pacifier, it can make the child feel more secure and happy. Children may also want to suck to soothe themselves, and to be able to fall asleep. However, thumb sucking can have a downside for your child as it can affect their teeth. Once your child’s permanent teeth come in, thumb sucking can cause problems for the proper growth of the mouth, and for the alignment of teeth. Thumb sucking can also actually cause changes in the roof of the mouth. Sucking on pacifiers can cause the same problems in the mouth, however, it is generally an easier habit to break. When a child rest their thumbs passively in their mouth, it is less likely to cause any of the problems that were just described. However, if your child is an aggressive thumb sucker, he or she may end up developing problems with their baby teeth. It is common for children to stop sucking their fingers between the ages of two and four, or when the permanent teeth are ready to erupt. Some ways to help your child stop his or her own thumb sucking is to praise your child for not doing this activity, or try to remove any cause of anxiety from your child’s life. Our pediatric dentist in Great Neck NY may even think it wise for him to gently explain to your child why thumb sucking is not a good idea.
For an appointment for your child to be seen by our expert
pediatric dentist in Great Neck NY, contact us today.
By Great Neck Natural Smiles
August 23, 2017
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