Please Help

okay my girls are almost 20 months old. They never took to the binki/pacifier, but all of the sudden Audrey has this horrible habit of sucking her bottom lip. She actually bites with her top teeth down on to her bottom lip and then sucks. It's horrible, she has swollen lips and a red mark (kinda looks like a hicky) on the bottom part of her lips. I called the dr.'s office a few weeks ago, they said to put almond oil on it. (the kind at a health food store, supposed to have a bitter taste) We tried, (not that bitter really.....I tried it) didn't seem to bother her at all, continues sucking..............
Now I feel like a rotten, horrible mom. Three days ago, (after no luck with the almond oil) I put some pepper juice (from pepperchini's) on her lip (I know its awful) still does not seem to help, ya she doesn't like it but she still continues. What to do? Any suggestions would be so very appreciated.
Thank
Hillarie

 

My Evan started with teeth grinding and it was driving my husband crazy. The more he asked him to stop, the more Evan would grind. The doctor suggested that making such an issue out of it was turning it into a power struggle. So we stopped mentioning it altogether and he stopped grinding within a few days. Not sure if this will work for you.

 

I will try anything at this point. The thing is it looks like her top teeth are becoming an overbite.?

 

I asked my ped about J because he likes to suck his middle two fingers on his right hand when he sleeps. The ped said that his teeth may pull forward some but when he stops the behavior the teeth will shift back. That's what I was told at least.

So as far as permanent damage to her teeth, I don't think that'll be a big issue, especially if she's been doing this for a short while.

We haven't done anything to stop J from sucking his fingers as it's not an "issue" right now. If it continues on or becomes a habit that he does more often, we'll have to try something but it comforts him and helps him sleep so I say what works, works.

 

thanks for the advice ladies, I have just let her do what she wants to do, let it be.
thanks again !
Hillarie