Tips: Praise children for not sucking, instead of scolding them when they are. Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure or needing comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort to your child. For an older child, involve him or her in choosing the method of stopping. Your dentist can offer encouragement to a child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop sucking. If the above tips don’t work, remind the child of their habit by bandaging the thumb or putting a sock on the hand at night. Your dentist or pediatrician may prescribe a bitter medication to coat the thumb or the use of a mouth appliance.