PATIENTS
"But nothing ever happened to his teeth." I hear it from worried parents, and they're almost always right: nothing sudden happened. The problem wasn't a blow, it was something small repeated thousands of times. A child's bite is sculpted by everyday pressure.
These are the five habits I watch most closely, and what to do about each one:
1. Thumb-sucking after age 3–4. In babies it's normal; prolonged, it pushes the upper teeth outward and opens the bite. What to do: don't punish; replace it with another way to self-soothe and consult if it continues.
2. Mouth breathing. The quietest and the most serious. If a child breathes through the mouth, the tongue stops supporting the palate and it narrows, altering the whole face. Watch out if they snore or sleep with their mouth open: often there are allergies or adenoids behind it. This is solved with the paediatrician, not by scolding.
3. Tongue thrusting when swallowing. We swallow about 800 times a day. If the tongue pushes against the teeth with every swallow, imagine the cumulative effect.
4. Prolonged pacifier or bottle use. Handy for sleep, yes, but past a certain point they deform the arch just like the thumb.
5. Nail- or lip-biting. It seems harmless: it creates odd, repeated forces that wear teeth down and misalign them.
The key isn't to forbid, it's to understand
Almost no habit is corrected by shouting. It's corrected by finding the cause (anxiety? trouble breathing? imitation?) and tackling it as a team — sometimes with the paediatrician, sometimes with myofunctional therapy. If you recognised two or more in your child, it's not cause for alarm, but it is reason for a check-up: catching it today saves months of treatment tomorrow.
Did you recognise any and aren't sure whether it's time to act? Tell me and I'll guide you.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it bad for my child to suck their thumb?
In babies it's normal and usually goes away on its own. If it continues after age 3 or 4, it can push the teeth and open the bite; it's best to replace it with another way to self-soothe and consult if it persists.
Why is mouth breathing so important?
When a child breathes through the mouth, the tongue stops supporting the palate and it narrows, affecting the development of the whole face. Often there are allergies or adenoids behind it, so it's addressed together with the paediatrician.
At what age should I worry about these habits?
More than an age, what matters is persistence. If a habit continues after age 3–4 or you notice changes in the bite, it's time for a check-up, without alarm.
Can these habits be corrected by scolding?
Almost never. It works better to find the cause (anxiety, breathing problems, imitation) and work on it as a team, sometimes with myofunctional therapy.
Do you have questions about your treatment?
Book an assessment appointment and clear up all your questions with Dr. Chaparro.
