DOES YOUR CHILD SUCK THE THUMB/TONGUE?

Digit (Finger) sucking is a relatively common oral habit behaviour engaged in by children. Other habits include, lip sucking and biting, nail-biting, bruxism, cheek biting, mouth breathing, and tongue thrusting .It starts from infancy and persists for years in some children. It is advisable that parents discourage their children and seek dental professional help when uncontrollable to avoid the damaging effects on their jaws, function of chewing, facial outlook and above all their self-esteem. Oral habits, especially if they persist beyond the preschool age, have been implicated as an important environmental etiological factor associated with the development of malocclusion (Shetty ,et al.,2013).

 A number of treatment options are available for this group of people which ranges from counseling to the use of a device. This is important in order to avoid severe malocclusion that can result from oral habits. Severe malocclusion in child will cost more and take a longer time to correct in adulthood.

        Effects of digit/tongue

1. Proclined anterior teeth

2. Anterior open bite





Proclined anterior teeth/anterior open bite due to thumb sucking

 

 

These  anterior teeth are prone to fracture and its sequelae which include abscess formation, Cellulitis and tooth loss.

6yr old Nigerian child with persistent thumb sucking



 

This child cannot cut food because the teeth cannot meet due to the gap formed by sucking the tongue/thumb thus impaired function of mastication.

3. Words escape through that space hence impaired speech

4. Temporomandiblar joint pain

Because the teeth are not in occlusion, there is pain from the two joints that holds the upper and lower jaws together found in the region of the ears.

5. Skeletal disproportion of the jaws

 

The upper jaw may be set far ahead of the lower jaw thus placing the upper teeth further protruded hence the risk of fracture and its sequelae.

6. Others

Tooth malposition, disturbed breathing habits, difficulties in speech, upset balance in the facial musculature and psychological problems (Singh,2009)

Consult a dentist today for an effective oral habit cessation to prevent malocclusion.

Reference

1.     Raghavendra Manjunath Shetty, Manoj Shetty, Nailady Sridhar Shetty, Hanumanth Reddy, Sunaina Shetty, Anil Agrawal(2013): Oral Habits in children of Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, India- A prevalence study. Int JOPHD Vol 4 No 1.

2.     Dr Surinder Singh(2009): DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF ORAL HABITS. Indian Journal of Dental Sciences Vol. 1 Issue 2