My child sucks his fingers
Dear Dentist, My child is two years old but he sucks his thumb most of the time. I was told that it will cause damage to his teeth. Is this true?
Worried mother
Dear mother: For children, sucking their fingers is a common phenomenon and it is a natural reflex. It makes them feel happy, relaxed and secure at that time.
It is, however, common whenever children are stressed and they cannot express themselves. Other times include when they are bored, tired or after eating food as they fall asleep.
Usually, this condition has no harm at a time when your child only has milk teeth, but, after the permanent teeth come in, this condition may cause problems with proper growth of the teeth and alignment in the jaw. Other effects include changes in anatomical structure of the palate (roof of the mouth).
It is important to note that the intensity of sucking is one the predisposing factors that may tell if your child may develop dental problems in the future or not. Research indicates that if children rest their thumbs passively in their mouths, they are less likely to have difficulty than those who vigorously suck their thumbs.
However, some aggressive thumb suckers may develop problems with their milk teeth.
It is worth monitoring your child if he or she practises this habit especially after four years.
Usually, children stop sucking between the age of two and four, and by the time one starts developing permanent teeth at the ages of five to six years, this habit is gone. This is because the brains of most children at this age are occupied with so many issues including the discovery of new things and playing with peers.
If you notice changes in the alignment of your child’s milk teeth, or if this condition persists, physically consult your dentist.
Tips for helping your child stop thumb sucking include;
Praise your child for not sucking.
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 your child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop sucking.
If the above tips don’t work, always remind your child the dangers of their habit. This can be supplemented with bandaging the thumb at night.
If this persists, seek the advice of your dentist or paediatrician who may prescribe the use of a mouth appliance.
The writer is a dentist
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