It is normal for babies to explore their oral function by putting things like their thumb in it. You do not need to worry if your baby sucks his/her thumb on a regular basis. For babies who are still growing their baby teeth, sucking the thumb can help to stimulate growth and development of their baby teeth.
Thumb sucking is not a problem among babies because they generally do so to sooth and entertain themselves. Problems can occur from children continue the habit when their baby teeth begin to fall out, about six years. You can also visit the Amazon UK website to get a guide to stop thumb sucking in children.
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If you have a young child whose adult teeth start to come in, that's when thumb sucking can start to become a problem. Most children stop sucking his thumb between the ages of two and three years.
According to the American Dental Association, if the thumb sucking continues as the adult teeth come in, this can lead to problems involving the improper alignment of the teeth and jaw growth, gums and palate.
How to Stop Thumb Sucking
- Provide comfort to your child if thumb sucking occurs when he is anxious.
- Limit thumb sucking initially to sleep or nap.
- Employ positive reinforcement for good behavior.
- Talk with your child about the potential problems that come from this habit.
- Distract your child with activities such as fun games every time you see it start.
- Involve your child in selecting methods to stop, such as a positive appreciation.