Many children develop oral habits, such as thumb sucking and tongue thrusting, at a young age. Most habits disappear after a few years and do not pose a risk to the child’s oral health. However, persistent habits can result in harm to the developing teeth and occlusion. Our team at KidsKare P.C. can help you correct your child’s oral habits before they result in complex issues.

Nearly all children develop at least one of the following oral habits during their early years:

• Thumb sucking
• Finger sucking
• Tongue thrusting
• Bruxism (teeth grinding)
• Lip biting
• Lip sucking
• Mouth breathing

These habits often appear around age two and disappear by age six. Most cases are mild and will not affect the development of your child’s oral health. There is little cause for concern unless the habit is prolonged and/or aggressive.

If you are concerned about your child’s oral habits, we encourage you to bring your child to see our dentists at KidsKare P.C.. We will gladly assess your child’s oral health for signs of a developmental risk. If necessary, our team will work with you to create a prevention strategy based on the cause of your child’s oral habit. Many habits, such as thumb sucking, are formed to help your child feel more secure. Reducing sources of anxiety in their environment can encourage your child to cease unhealthy oral habits. Our team can also help you establish reward methods and even provide oral appliances to protect the tooth alignment.

For more information about correcting your child’s negative oral habits in Las Cruces, New Mexico, please contact us at 575-532-5437 and schedule a consultation with one of our friendly dentists.