Thumb Sucking: How to Break the Habit

Sucking is a natural instinct for a baby since that is the way they eat. Thumb sucking can begin in the womb, at the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy. Thumb sucking in infants and children is common and they usually stop between the ages of two and four.

In this age, when the primary teeth start getting to grow and shape themselves, thumb sucking habit can have an ill effect on this process. That is why you must take steps to break thumb sucking habit among your child.

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Why Babies Suck Their Thumb

Newborns and infants suck their thumbs to use as a method of calming down to provide them with a sense of security. Other children suck their thumbs to help them fall asleep. Children under five years of age should not be encouraged to stop sucking their thumbs because this is a natural act.

Negative Effects of Thumb Sucking

If the habit is not damaged around the age of five, it can lead to serious consequences that affect the quality of their daily lives. Simple acts like chewing and speaking can be changed by sucking her thumb.

Action cute and seemingly innocent of the thumb or finger sucking may cause:

  • Germs to spread and cause the child pain
  • thumb infected wounds that appear on the skin surface
  • Sensitivity to the palate
  • A gap between their upper and lower teeth
  • Dental shifted to make overbite or underbite
  • Difficulty chewing food
  • Speech-slurred problems can develop due to improper jaw alignment

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