Thumb Sucking – Treatment at Your Own Home

One of the most common habits associated with children under two years is sucking his thumb, which generally relates to the need to find food. This habit can build up as a hobby for a bored child or, more commonly, as a coping device to pacify a nervous moment. But sometimes kids get involved in different thumb sucking prevention tricks, even when they are relaxed, listening to the stories or during bedtime.

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Remember, the thumb may not always be clean and this means some health complications for the child and vigorous sucking can become the cause of many dental problems. Younger children have soft and supple jaw and this habit can cause a change in the shape of the jawbone.

The habit may also influence food and faulty tooth position besides causing infections around the fingernails resulting in the spread of communicable diseases.

Let's read about some easy ways to stop thumb sucking so that this cannot become a bad habit over a period of time.

1. Try to stop thumb sucking habit at the time permanent teeth of children are coming, which is usually around the age of 4-6 years.

2. As a parent, you are required to take the necessary measures in the form of qualified medical guidance to avoid the child the habit of thumb sucking develops.

3. Talk to your child, tell the reasons and ways to work together to stop the habit, not force them to stop or it will reinforce the habit. To motivate a child, a parent can reward progress, praising the efforts and offer quality care when the child is not sucking his thumb.