He switched to one of those stress putty things instead, and it seemed to help—though I still find bits of it stuck to the carpet sometimes.
That putty is the glitter confetti of fidget toys... I tried giving my kid one of those spinner rings since it was cheaper and less messy, but he lost it in a week. Anyone else find the “budget” options just end up costing more in the long run?
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the “budget” fidget toys. I tried those squishy mesh balls for my nephew—cheaper than the name brand stuff, but they all popped within a few days. The mess was next level. Sometimes I wonder if just sticking with something simple (like thumb-sucking at bedtime, honestly) might be less hassle. At least you don’t have to vacuum up putty crumbs or hunt for lost rings under the couch...
That’s actually a good point about the mess factor with fidget toys—some of those things are just disasters waiting to happen. I’ve definitely spent too much time scraping dried putty out of carpet fibers, so the appeal of something low-maintenance like thumb-sucking makes sense on that level.
But I keep wondering about the long-term effects, especially for adults. Like, is there a real risk to your teeth or jaw if you’re still doing it at bedtime? I’ve read mixed things—some say it can shift teeth or impact your bite, while others seem to think it’s only an issue for kids whose mouths are still developing. I mean, I get the comfort aspect (honestly, I still bite my nails when stressed), but I’m curious if anyone’s dentist has actually weighed in on this for grown-ups.
It’d be great to hear if people have had any issues crop up after years of this habit, or if it’s mostly just an old wives’ tale.
I’ve wondered about this too, especially since dental bills aren’t exactly my favorite way to spend money. My dentist once joked that thumb-sucking is “free orthodontics...in the wrong direction.” But honestly, has anyone actually had their bite get worse from it as an adult, or is it just a scare tactic? Also, does insurance even cover anything if it messes with your teeth later on, or are we just rolling the dice?
I totally get the anxiety about dental bills—mine always seem to show up at the worst times. I’ve read a bit about adult thumb-sucking, and it seems like most of the horror stories are about kids, but I did meet someone in college who still sucked her thumb at night and ended up with a pretty noticeable overbite. She said it got worse after her wisdom teeth came in, but who knows if that’s related?
As for insurance, I’ve never seen them cover anything that’s considered “self-inflicted,” but maybe it depends on the plan. My dental insurance barely covers anything cosmetic, and bite issues sometimes fall into that gray area. Has anyone actually tried to get coverage for something like this? Or had a dentist recommend a fix that insurance paid for? I’m curious if there are any loopholes or if we’re all just stuck paying out of pocket if things go sideways.