but yeah, if your dentist isn’t worried, I wouldn’t stress too much either.
Honestly, that’s huge—if your dentist isn’t making a big deal out of it, you’re probably fine. Habits are tough to break, and comfort at bedtime matters. I chewed on pens for years before switching to a silicone mouthguard at night... took a while to adjust, but eventually it just felt normal. Don’t beat yourself up over it.
I get the comfort thing—there’s just something about those old habits at night. Did your dentist mention anything about your bite changing or teeth shifting? I know mine kept an eye on that when I was grinding my teeth.
- Totally get the comfort thing, it’s like muscle memory or something.
- My dentist did mention bite shifting if you keep sucking your thumb as an adult.
- Didn’t say it would definitely happen, but more like a “keep an eye on it” situation.
- I grind my teeth sometimes too—dentist gave me a night guard, which honestly feels weird at first but helps.
- Not sure if thumb-sucking is worse than grinding? Guess both can mess with your teeth over time.
Not sure if thumb-sucking is worse than grinding? Guess both can mess with your teeth over time.
I’ve wondered about this too. I used to grind my teeth a lot—my jaw would ache in the mornings, and my dentist spotted some wear on my molars. The night guard took some getting used to, but it really did help after a few weeks. It’s wild how much unconscious stuff we do at night.
From what I’ve read (and what my dentist said), thumb-sucking as an adult isn’t super common, but it can definitely shift your bite or even affect the roof of your mouth if it’s a regular thing. Grinding seems to mostly wear down enamel and stress the jaw joint, while thumb-sucking can actually move your teeth around. I guess it depends on how often and how intense either habit is.
Honestly, I get the comfort thing. For me, it’s clenching my jaw when I’m stressed—almost like a built-in stress ball. Just wish our brains could pick less destructive habits sometimes...
I totally get the comfort thing too—sometimes you just need something to help you wind down. I used to clench my jaw at night and the dentist warned me about the long-term costs if I didn’t do something. Night guards aren’t cheap, but fixing your bite later is even pricier. If thumb-sucking is really helping you sleep, maybe try to phase it out slowly or look for a less risky habit? No shame in needing comfort, but protecting your wallet (and your teeth) is worth thinking about.