Thumb Sucking, Finger Sucking, Pacifier and more..

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During infancy, sucking is a natural, instinctive reflex that supports feeding, self-soothing, and survival. Over the first year of life, the need for sucking gradually transitions from instinct to comfort-driven habit.

However, when oral sucking habits persist beyond the age at which they are developmentally appropriate, they can interfere with normal oral, dental, and airway development—leading to Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) that may require therapeutic intervention.

Extended thumb, finger, pacifier, lip-sucking, or even nail-biting habits can alter both the hard tissues (jaws, palate, dentition) and soft tissues (tongue, lips, cheeks) of the mouth.

Consequences may include:

• Altered jaw growth and abnormal dental eruption patterns
   
• Anterior open bite (space between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth are together)
   
• Tongue thrust / reverse swallow pattern
   
• Low tongue resting posture
   
• Disruption of proper nasal breathing patterns

• Poor Facial Development
   

When a digit or pacifier is placed between the teeth for extended periods, the teeth cannot fully erupt into their natural position. This also prevents the tongue from resting up against the palate, forcing it into a low and forward position. Over time, this can create or reinforce maladaptive swallowing patterns and impact facial growth.

A proper swallow requires full tongue-to-palate contact, creating the intraoral pressure necessary for efficient swallowing. On average, humans swallow 700–1,000 times per day.

When a thumb, finger, or pacifier is in the mouth for hours each day, it blocks proper tongue elevation.

This leads to:

• Reverse swallow / tongue thrust – The tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth rather than lifting to the palate
   
• Dental malocclusions – Crooked teeth, open bites, crossbites
   
• Airway implications – Without correct palatal contact, nasal breathing patterns are disrupted, potentially contributing to sleep-disordered breathing
   
• Digestive impact – Inefficient swallowing can affect the initial stages of digestion
   
• Speech/articulation issues – Especially for sounds requiring lingual elevation, such as /t/, /d/, /n/, /l/, and /r/
   

Emerging research continues to highlight the relationship between early oral habits, tongue posture, and airway health—reinforcing the importance of early elimination of noxious oral behaviors.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) can retrain the tongue, lips, and facial muscles to restore proper rest posture, swallowing, and breathing patterns.

At Myofunctional Spot, we offer a Thumb/Pacifier Elimination Program for children ages 4 and up who have been unable to break the habit independently. 

This program is:

• Positive and encouraging – No shaming, stress, or negativity
   
• Collaborative – Involving both parent and child as active participants
   
• Effective – Most children fully eliminate the habit within 10 days of starting the program
   

By combining habit elimination with myofunctional therapy exercises, we not only stop the behavior but also correct the oral muscle patterns that led to or reinforced it.

Pacifier use remains a controversial topic among parents, healthcare providers, and parenting forums. As both a Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Lactation Consultant, I have observed firsthand how prolonged pacifier use can impact speech, feeding, swallowing, and airway development.

Potential consequences of long-term pacifier use include:

• Open bite malocclusion
   
• Abnormal tooth eruption
   
• Low tongue resting posture
   
• Dysfunctional swallow pattern
   
• Reduced oral muscle strength and coordination
   

While pacifiers can be appropriate in early infancy for soothing and non-nutritive sucking, best practice is to discontinue pacifier use by 6 months of age. Prolonged use beyond this point increases the risk of structural and functional changes that may require intervention later.

• Sucking is normal in infancy but should diminish naturally as a child grows.
   
• Prolonged oral habits can lead to permanent changes in dental alignment, jaw growth, and oral function.
   
• These habits also have the potential to impact speech development and airway health.
   
• Myofunctional therapy provides a proven, supportive method for eliminating harmful habits and restoring healthy oral patterns.
   

If your child has a persistent thumb, finger, or pacifier habit—or you are concerned about its impact—contact our office for a comprehensive evaluation. Early action can prevent more significant structural, functional, and airway challenges later in life.

If you would like help eliminating an oral habit, contact me for more info.