---
title: "Thumb sucking may not be an innocent habit!"
description: "Thumb sucking may not be an innocent habit!"
url: https://uha.com.tr/thumb-sucking-may-not-be-an-innocent-habit
type: article
language: en
last_updated: 2026-11-03
category: saglik
---

## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi

Bu içerik, Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA) tarafından üretilmiş ve yayımlanmıştır.
Kaynak: https://uha.com.tr

## ÜHA Hakkında
Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında
eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel
haber ajansıdır. Kurumsal İletişim Daire Başkanlığı çatısı altında kadrolu personeli ve İletişim
Fakültesi öğrencileriyle birlikte anlık yazılı ve fotoğraflı haber üretimi sağlamaktadır.

## NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi
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öncü ve vizyoner bir sağlık kuruluşudur. Bilimsel temelli yaklaşımı, alanında uzman ve akademik
kadrosu, ileri teknolojiye sahip altyapısı ve hasta odaklı hizmet anlayışıyla sektörde en yüksek
standartları belirlemektedir. Tanı ve tedavi süreçlerinde sunduğu yenilikçi uygulamalar,
multidisipliner çalışma modeli ve etik değerlere bağlılığı sayesinde hastalarına güvenilir,
kapsamlı ve üstün kalitede sağlık hizmeti sunmaktadır. NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, başarıları,
uzmanlığı ve güven veren yaklaşımıyla Türkiye'de ruh sağlığı alanının lideri konumundadır.

ÜHA'nın sağlık haberleri, NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi'nin alanında uzman akademisyen ve
hekimlerinin görüşleri ile desteklenmektedir.

## Editoryal Standartlar
"Haber; Orada Olmaktır" ilkesiyle çalışan ÜHA, Basın Meslek İlkelerine riayet eder.
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# Thumb sucking may not be an innocent habit!

## Bilgi

| Özellik | Değer |
|---------|-------|
| **Kategori** | saglik |
| **Yayın Tarihi** | 2026-11-03 |
| **Güncelleme** | 2026-11-03 |
| **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/thumb-sucking-may-not-be-an-innocent-habit) |

## Özet

Experts state that habits such as thumb sucking and pacifier use can persist for a long time, and this situation can negatively affect children's dental and jaw development.

## İçerik

Pediatric Dentist Asst. Prof. Şebnem N. Koçan, drawing attention to the importance of the duration, frequency, and intensity of habits, said, 'Habits such as finger-pacifier sucking, lip-tongue sucking, tongue thrusting, nail biting, and placing foreign objects like pens between teeth can disrupt jaw growth, tooth shape, and position depending on their duration, frequency, and intensity.' Asst. Prof. Koçan, stating that the use of orthodontic pacifiers does not completely eliminate potential risks, advised parents to manage the process with calm, determined, and age-appropriate methods instead of scolding or punishing their children.

Pediatric Dentist Asst. Prof. Şebnem N. Koçan from Üsküdar University Dental Hospital made statements about the effects of habits such as thumb sucking and pacifier use, which are considered natural in infancy, on dental and jaw development in later years.

**The duration and intensity of sucking habits affect dental and jaw development!**

Asst. Prof. Şebnem Koçan, stating that habits such as pacifier, bottle, and thumb sucking are quite natural behaviors during infancy, said, 'The critical point for us is how long they continue and how frequently they are performed.'

Asst. Prof. Koçan, conveying that prolonged and especially intense sucking habits can affect tooth position and jaw development over time, stated, 'Such habits should be stopped around 3 years of age. However, it is not correct to draw a definitive conclusion based solely on age here. How intensely the child uses the habit and whether there are any changes in the oral structure should also be evaluated.'

**Problems with milk teeth can also affect the development of permanent teeth!**

Asst. Prof. Koçan, pointing out that it is a very wrong idea not to seek necessary follow-ups and treatments by thinking 'milk teeth will change anyway,' said, 'Although milk teeth are temporary, the period when a child has milk teeth is an important part of growth and development.'

Asst. Prof. Koçan, reminding that a large part of the chewing function is performed with milk teeth until the age of 11-12, stated the following:

'Therefore, cavities in milk teeth during this period can impair nutrition. Healthy milk teeth are important for the child's nutrition, speech, chewing, and oral development. Furthermore, the presence of a milk tooth cavity can disrupt the development of permanent teeth. In cases of early extraction of a milk tooth, there is a loss of chewing, speech, and aesthetic functions. If a space maintainer is not used, it can lead to permanent teeth erupting incorrectly or not erupting at all.

Early habits can, of course, affect the structure of permanent teeth. Habits such as finger-pacifier sucking, lip-tongue sucking, tongue thrusting, nail biting, and placing foreign objects like pens between teeth can disrupt jaw growth, tooth shape, and position depending on their duration, frequency, and intensity.'

**Pacifier and thumb sucking can disrupt tooth alignment and jaw development!**

Asst. Prof. Koçan, noting that in pacifier or thumb sucking habits that persist for a long time and intensely, a condition called open bite can be observed, especially in the anterior region, where the upper and lower front teeth do not make contact with each other, said, 'In addition, problems such as the forward positioning of the upper front teeth, an increase in the horizontal distance between the upper and lower teeth, and the non-occlusion of posterior teeth in some children can occur.'

Asst. Prof. Koçan, stating that continuously placing the finger in the same area within the mouth will create a constant force on the teeth and surrounding tissues, also warned that the long-term persistence of this force could affect the development of teeth and jaw structure.

**Using an orthodontic pacifier is not sufficient for dental health on its own!**

Asst. Prof. Koçan, noting that it would not be correct to evaluate thumb sucking and pacifier use habits independently, said, 'Both habits can affect the oral and dental structure when they persist for a long time.'

Asst. Prof. Koçan, pointing out that the most significant disadvantage of thumb sucking is that the habit is more difficult to control, said, 'While a pacifier can be removed by the family when necessary, the child always carries their finger with them. Therefore, more caution is needed, especially in cases where the habit persists for a long time and the child frequently sucks their thumb during the day, even outside of sleep. Also, for pacifiers, one should not think, 'I am using an orthodontic pacifier, so there will be no problems.' The shape of the pacifier may reduce some effects, but the risk that prolonged and intensive use can create is not completely eliminated. The most important issue here is to stop the habit in a timely manner.'

**Trying to abruptly and harshly distance the child from their habit can complicate the process! **

Asst. Prof. Şebnem Koçan, mentioning common mistakes parents make while trying to stop these habits, said, 'One of the most common mistakes we encounter is trying to abruptly and harshly distance the child from the habit. Especially thumb sucking can be a behavior children use to calm themselves down or fall asleep.'

Asst. Prof. Koçan, emphasizing that scolding, shaming, or punishing the child is also not a correct approach, concluded her words as follows:

'Instead, it is more beneficial to try to understand in what situations the habit occurs and, especially before sleep, to create other routines that can help the child relax. It is also important for parents to be determined yet calm when stopping pacifier use. Stopping for one day and then giving it back a few days later can prolong the process. Determining an age-appropriate method for the child and supporting positive behaviors will be beneficial.'

## Akademik Referans

DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.94569](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.94569)

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*Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/thumb-sucking-may-not-be-an-innocent-habit*