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| Sucking The Thumb |
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Sucking the thumb may seem an adorable child’s habit. However, it can also lead to serious dental problems. Thumb sucking is considered normal behavior until age two or three and doesn’t pose problems until the first primary teeth start to erupt from the gums. If your child is still thumb sucking after age four, some of the problems that could arise include an “open bite,” or situation where the top and bottom teeth are pushed out of alignment, and don't close together. Your child can even develop temporomandibular joint dysfunction, a painful condition of the jaw muscles and joints.
Reward programs to help your child quit have been successful. Mild discouragement involving soaking the thumb in a distasteful liquid has also been helpful in dissuading thumb sucking. In the worst case, dental appliances are available to prevent the sucking of the thumb completely. Additional suggestions to help your child quit thumb sucking can be provided by your dentist or
pediatrician.
Copyright © IT Network 1999
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