**Ordinary touching or rubbing of your gums with your fingers is unlikely to explain severely crooked teeth.** Dental guidance links changes in tooth position to habits that apply pressure frequently and for long periods, particularly thumb or finger sucking. Occasional touching is a different exposure. [American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)](https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/media/policies_guidelines/bp_developdentition.pdf?v=new)

**Heredity is a common contributor.** Tooth size, jaw size and jaw relationships can run in families. When teeth need more room than the jaw provides, they can overlap or rotate. Your mother having crooked teeth makes an inherited contribution plausible, although that alone cannot establish the cause in your case. [MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001058.htm)

The main facts and myths are:

| Claim | What the evidence supports |
|---|---|
| “Crooked teeth are always caused by childhood habits.” | They often have several contributors, including inherited anatomy, extra or missing teeth, and problems with tooth eruption. |
| “Thumb sucking can affect teeth.” | Yes. Persistent sucking can contribute to protruding front teeth, an open bite or a crossbite. Duration and frequency matter. |
| “Baby teeth do not matter because they fall out.” | Losing them prematurely can let neighbouring teeth move into the space needed by permanent teeth. |
| “Removing wisdom teeth prevents front-tooth crowding.” | Evidence does not support removing otherwise healthy wisdom teeth solely for this purpose. |

Sources: [MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001058.htm), [AAPD guidance](https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/media/policies_guidelines/bp_developdentition.pdf?v=new), [Imperial College Healthcare NHS wisdom-tooth information](https://www.imperial.nhs.uk/-/media/website/patient-information-leaflets/surgery/oral-surgery/wisdom-teeth-in-minor-oral-surgery.pdf).

**Prevention can reduce some risks, but it cannot guarantee straight teeth.** Inherited crowding and jaw differences may develop despite good care. [MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001058.htm)

For children, useful measures include:

- **Address prolonged sucking habits.** AAPD recommends stopping thumb, finger and pacifier sucking by about age three. Use encouragement and comfort; ask a dentist for help if the habit persists. [AAPD](https://www.aapd.org/research/oral-health-policies--recommendations/p_pacifiers.pdf/), [American Dental Association](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/thumbsucking)
- **Protect baby teeth and monitor their loss.** Regular dental care helps detect decay and eruption problems. If a baby tooth is lost early, a dentist can assess whether a space-maintaining appliance would help. [AAPD](https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/media/policies_guidelines/bp_developdentition.pdf?v=new)
- **Arrange an orthodontic assessment by age seven, or earlier if a problem is apparent.** This identifies developing problems and helps determine treatment timing; many children initially need monitoring. [American Association of Orthodontists](https://aaoinfo.org/resources/faqs/page/20/)

For teeth that are already crooked, an orthodontist can assess whether braces or clear aligners would help. Adults can also be treated. After treatment, **wearing retainers as prescribed helps prevent teeth shifting back**. [MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001058.htm), [NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/braces/)

The childhood explanation you were given is too definite: an examination and history would be needed to judge the contributors, and simply touching your gums does not establish that you caused the crookedness.