Most children should grow out of thumb or finger sucking between 2 and 4 years of age. If sucking continues beyond 6 or 7 years of age, dental problems may begin such as:
- Buck teeth – excessive sucking can push the front teeth forward so they stick out over the bottom teeth.
- Lisp – finger and thumb sucking can push the top teeth out of their normal position. This can make forming certain speech sounds difficult for the child, resulting in a lisp.
