Did you know that thumb sucking can cause long-term health issues to your child’s Health?

Self-soothing by sucking on a thumb is perfectly normal and natural in babies. Many young children continue to suck their thumbs, and whilst you may think it looks sweet, did you know that over time it can push your child’s teeth out of their normal alignment, causing a whole host of issues in later life?

Thumb sucking should have ceased by the time your child reaches five – if not, your KIDS children’s dentist recommends a programme of gentle intervention to ensure your child does not develop a cross-bite, or an over or under-bite. Thumb-suckers may also develop a tongue-thrust, which causes a lisp when speaking.

The good news is that there are simple, practical steps you can take to help your child lose the habit before the development of his / teeth and oral cavity are adversely affected. These may include:

• A reward chart – a tried and tested the way to subtly change your child’s behaviour!
• Introducing a teddy or soft comforter at night time
• Identifying the underlying causes (anxiety? boredom?) and taking steps to avoid or address these
• A soft plastic thumb guard that prevents the thumb sitting against the roof of the mouth and achieving suction, with a  removable plastic mouth brace.
• Myobrace is a simple and effective pre-orthodontic treatment that is used for just 1-2 hours each day and whilst sleeping. The custom-fitted Myobrace device works by providing light pressure on your child’s hard palate, which over time will allow it to reshape.
• Coupled with the Myobrace activities your child will follow via an app to encourage correct tongue placement, your child’s teeth and jaw will realign to their natural position. Regular appointments help us monitor progress and make any adjustments that may be required to your child’s personalised exercise programme.

Here at KIDS we have had lots of success using Myobrace, and we are proud to be Central Queensland’s ONLY certified Myobrace provider!

For more information and to book a complimentary pre-orthodontics consultation to identify any potential issues early on, please contact our friendly KIDS team on:

• (07) 3186 5738
• mackay@healthykidsqld.com.au
• PM us at facebook.com/healthykidsqld
• Lodge online enquiry

KIDS – A proud Sponsor and Supporter of Mackay Netball Healthy Goals