Braces and thumb sucking

thisisme · **Posted:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 8:04 am

When I got my braces I stopped sucking my thumb cold turkey after sucking it all my life. It was easy until about 2 months ago. I got very sick and let myself suck my thumb for comfort. Stupid but I was VERY unwell and I was doing anything and everything to make me feel the slightest bit better.

Now I'm better and I'm finding it extremely difficult to stop sucking it again. I know I shouldn't and I do really want to stop. I think I've forgotten what it's like to have bad teeth which was the motivation for stopping the first time. I know if I don't stop my bad teeth will return, but it's not stopping the constant crave.

I'm due to have jaw surgery in the next 6 months so I figured that would force me to stop but then I thought I'm obviously going to want comfort after something like that so I need to learn another way to get it.

What can I do? How can I stop the cravings to suck my thumb? This may sound silly to you, but this is a genuine request for help.

HarveyLMiller · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:53 am **Posts:** 6

Don't fight the cravings but, instead, try changing how you suck your thumb to limit any pressure on your teeth. You can also get a retainer which will allow you to suck your thumb in any way you like, without concern.

catgyrl · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:54 pm

I was a thumbsucker until 6th grade, and as a result, developed a huge overjet, which I am now (at age 44) trying to correct with braces. May I ask how old you are? (Not judging at all, just curious.) My ortho said the oldest patient he had who still sucked her thumb was in her 20's.

I don't see how you can suck your thumb without putting any pressure on your teeth. For kicks, I tried to do it the other day, and couldn't even get my thumb "into position" since my teeth have straightened out so much. You really need to kick that habit completely for any kind of orthodontic work/surgery to be successful. If not, you might as well flush all that money down the toilet.

Sorry to be so blunt, but I speak from experience. My ortho discovered I had a slight "tongue thrust" problem, and threatened to install some horrible appliance to keep me from touching the back of my teeth if I didn't try to work on it. I did, and he never brought it up again.

OldBikerBag · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:42 pm

http://www.thumbsuckingadults.com/mytspicturesofteethpage.htm

Roboto · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 7:18 am

I had the same problem, thisisme, which is part of the reason I got braces again.. so that I could finally stop! For me, what worked was an appliance they put in the roof of my mouth so I literally could not get my thumb in there comfortably. There is also a special appliance the ortho can install that is designed specifically for thumb sucking called a tongue crib (http://www.dingusortho.com/images/crib.jpg). It takes a long time to break this habit because we can't escape our thumbs! AND because it's just SO relaxing. I find myself STILL craving it and I've stopped for about 14 months now. The problem is that there is no alternative besides going cold turkey because, even if you only allow yourself to do for like an hour a day, you're letting yourself have that feeling that you know is really good and so you just want more and more. I tried the bitter nail-biter's nail polish, wearing gloves, letting mustard sit on my hands and then not washing with soap ( I reaaaaally hate mustard!!), but with all of these I failed and found some way around them. My nance was a godsend and the only thing that forced it out of my mouth. Now my motivation is 1-my teeth are looking amazing!!, 2- I never want to have to STOP thumbsucking ever ever again, and 3- my mouth is shaped totally different now so even if I do put my thumb in, it doesn't fit like it used to, and I DON'T WANT IT TO!

If you really don't think you can do it on your own, talk to your ortho in confidence. It might be a little embarrassing but you would much rather have the tongue crib or something like that to help you. It was too hard for me to do on my own! If I hadn't needed the nance for correcting a different problem, I would've asked about it.

(This ran on a little long, but I seriously have a loooot of experiencing trying to stop for most of my life. You can always PM me if you have any other questions.)

Good luck!!

Huggypillow · **Joined:** Wed May 18, 2011 8:29 am **Posts:** 265

Tongue cribb, aparantly they do the trick.

alexander · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 1:15 pm

How about dipping both thumbs in super hot chilli sauce?

Ellebraced · **Posted:** Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:36 pm

I sucked my thumb til I was 12 I think, I'm 34 now but I noticed I still tuck my thumb between my index and middle fingers as a kinda "security blanket" thing (24 hours a day) just like when I sucked my thumb (or like holding a cigarette which I quite 9 years ago)

Talk to your ortho for help or just stop it, only way your teeth are going to change, the longer you do it the more damage

Good Luck!

Braces and thumb sucking

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