Young children are prone to thumb-sucking. There are many reasons why a newborn might put his finger in his mouth. Thumb sucking can have serious consequences for the development of the teeth and mouth, particularly if it continues for a prolonged period.
Thumb sucking can begin even before birth in some cases. This happens while the fetus remains in the womb or during the second half of pregnancy. Sticking your thumb in your mouth is a gesture that adults use to express a childish attitude.
If finger-sucking is something that a child does naturally, parents would be able to assume it is harmless and should not be concerned. According to pediatric dentistry London Ontario specialists, this is unfortunately not true.
This bad habit is most damaging to the mouth and teeth. As we will see, there are many ways for babies to stop thumb-sucking.
Why do babies suck their thumbs?
Different reasons for placing a finger in their mouth are given by different people and can change over time. The fetus in the final weeks of pregnancy brings its thumb to the mouth because it helps regulate its heartbeat and sleep-wake rhythms. It also helps it to breastfeed. Even in the first few weeks of life, the beneficial effects can be sustained.
However, over time, the habit of sucking the finger (which is often done at night when you are asleep) becomes sedate. This can be used to keep away negative emotions such as sadness, anger, boredom, and anxiety.
What is the best time to stop thumb-sucking?
Thumb sucking, as you might expect, can occur even before birth and, in any event, is common behavior during the first six months of life.
Thumb sucking is a common habit for the child in the first six months. up to three years. Parents should take countermeasures if thumb sucking continues after this threshold. Do you know how much does veneers cost in Canada?
Too much thumb-sucking can cause tooth pains.
It is very dangerous to suck your thumb on a tooth that has not yet developed. The negative effects of finger sucking on your oral health are well-known. Any child who can’t give up this habit will almost certainly need orthodontics when he gets older.
Most common dental problems:
- Open bite
- Crusader bit
- Narrow palate
- Distorted palate
How can you get your child to stop sucking on their thumbs?
It becomes obvious that it is important to stop a child from sucking on his thumb past a certain age. Getting your child to stop sucking his thumb may be difficult for parents.
How can you convince him? This question doesn’t have one answer. It all depends on what causes the child to behave this way.
If there are no deep-rooted psychological reasons, a dialoguing approach may be useful. You can distract him by giving him reading or other activities to distract him.
Sometimes, however, the behavior may be more severe than that. In these cases, it is necessary to intervene with a psychologist or therapist who specializes in childhood disorders.
