Are Oral Habits Such as Thumb Sucking Harmful?
Sucking is a natural reflex, and infants and young children may use thumbs, fingers, pacifiers, or other objects on which to suck. It may make your child feel secure and happy or provide a sense of security during difficult periods. Since thumb sucking is comforting and relaxing, it may also induce sleep. Thumb sucking that persists for too long can cause problems with the proper growth of your child’s mouth and tooth alignment, resulting in severe open bites and the need for future orthodontic treatment. How intensely your child sucks on a finger or a thumb will determine whether or not dental problems may result. Children who rest their thumbs passively in their mouth are less likely to have difficulty than those who vigorously suck their thumbs. Your child should stop sucking by the age of 2 or 3, and definitely by the time that his/her permanent front teeth erupt. The longer the habit is kept, the more severe are the alterations on skeletal jaw relations and dentition resulting in
