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Oral Habits

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What are oral habits?

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The following is a list of habits that could negatively impact orofacial function and growth, and potentially reduce the effectiveness of myofunctional therapy.

Pacifier use
Thumb/digit/tongue sucking
Nail/blanket/lip biting/pen biting
Leaning on hands/bad posture
Mouth Breathing

Sucking is a reflex, or natural behavior, in humans. Thumb and finger sucking for children can begin as early as in the womb and is very normal during infancy. Non-nutritive chewing can be a subconscious reaction to stress, boredom, or inactivity. It can also be a semiconscious coping method for emotional overload.

A number of children may have these habits for the first years of their life, then stop on their own. After the first year, sucking becomes less of an instinctive need and more of a habit. If sucking and or non-nutritive chewing continues beyond 3 years of age it can have negative consequences.

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What are the negative effects of oral habits?

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During a child’s development, the jaws and teeth are particularly susceptible to outside forces. Poor habits can have a negative impact on their jaw shape, teeth position, tongue placement, breathing, and speech development. In many cases, these habits cause the tongue to rest down in the lower jaw and against the front teeth. This incorrect tongue resting position can often lead to an incorrect swallowing pattern (infantile swallow), tongue thrust, and mouth breathing.

The tongue acts as a natural palatal expander as a child grows, so if the tongue has a low rest posture, the palate may become smaller and narrower than desired. It can also result in a longer, thinner facial profile, and orthodontic issues. The palate can also become high and narrow with the continued upward pressure from a pacifier, thumb, or finger constantly pressing on the hard palate.

Typically, these children will need early orthodontic intervention, including palatal expansion to restore them to a more normal rounded upper jaw.

If these habits are caught and eliminated early (prior to 5 years of age), and the child is taught proper tongue position, nasal breathing, swallowing and chewing by a myofunctional therapist, some of the damage may be reversed without the need for orthodontics.

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What is the habit elimination process?

The habit elimination process involves creating an individualized program for the child. Giving your child the attention needed to help them understand the negative effects of the habit, and the positive outcomes of eliminating the habit are extremely important. We use a combination of support, guidance, positive reinforcement, physical reminders, reward systems, and celebration! We believe it should be a very positive experience that establishes self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.

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