NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids who continue to suck their fingers or use a pacifier after the age of 2 may be more likely to end up in the orthodontist's office by the time they reach adolescence, a team of dentists reports.

Their study found that kids who used a pacifier or sucked their fingers or thumb by the age of 4 to 5 were more likely to develop protruding front teeth and an irregular bite, compared with their peers who gave up the habit at an earlier age.

While it is known that longer, ``nonnutritive sucking'' can affect the development of the jaw and influence the placement of developing teeth, the current report suggests that even shorter-term sucking can have a notable impact. At present, some dental organizations recommend that kids stop this type of sucking by the age of 5 to 8 years, note researchers in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

``Previously, sucking habits were not thought to be very important until children reached the age where their permanent teeth began to come in, as it was believed that once a habit was stopped, the conditions (crossbite, protrusive upper front teeth) resolved by themselves as long as the permanent teeth weren't involved,'' Dr. John Warren, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. ``What our study found is that for many children, the aforementioned conditions do not resolve by themselves, even 2 to 3 years after a habit is stopped.''

The study of 372 children found that nearly 6% of those who stopped sucking before they turned 1 had an irregular bite in the molar area, or in the back of the mouth. In comparison, the problem was noted among 13% of children who stopped between 2 to 3 years and in 20% of those who continued to suck fingers or a pacifier after the age of 4.

A higher percentage of children who persisted in sucking fingers or a pacifier also developed protruding front teeth, the study found.

Warren, from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, noted that previous research has shown finger or thumb sucking to be more detrimental to the development of teeth than using a pacifier. He said ``parents should do whatever is necessary to prevent their child from developing a finger or thumb sucking habit, even if that means encouraging a pacifier habit for a while.'' When the child is 2 to 3 years old the pacifier can be thrown away and the habit stopped.

``While throwing a pacifier away can be difficult for the child, they soon get over it and the habit seldom recurs. It's very difficult to stop a finger or thumb habit, so it's best to avoid them,'' Warren said in an interview.

The study included children who sucked their thumb or used a pacifier from birth. Over 4 years, parents answered questions about their children's sucking habits and children were put into one of five groups based on when they had quit. Dentists examined the children and made models of their teeth between 4 and 5 years.

Most children sucked a finger or pacifier at some point, the study found, with just over 2% of parents reporting no sucking during the study. Nearly one third of the children had stopped sucking by the age of 1 year, and about 16% continued to suck a finger or pacifier at age 4.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Dental Association 2001;132:1685-1693.

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