As a young mother, I was reasonably ignorant when raising my firstborn. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her take better care of her teeth. Like many people, I didn't realise the importance of baby teeth, resulting in long-term dental problems. Recently, my daughter got married and some of my tears were for the beautiful, glistening smile she presented to the cameras. Ever since I realised the dental damage I had caused, I had been saving for my daughter to have cosmetic dentistry. The results are remarkable. During the course of this journey, I have learnt a lot about caring for children's teeth and corrective procedures that can be undertaken when issues arise. I am sure many of you would be interested in the latest knowledge and techniques that are available to prevent and repair dental complications. I'm Margret Devlin - thanks for visiting.
Thumb sucking is common among infants. It's nothing you should be worried about because it helps the baby feel comfortable as well as relaxed. Also, in most cases, the child should stop the habit as he or she grows. However, not every kid does. For some children, thumb sucking continues into their school years. Be aware if this happens to your kid. That's because at such an age when your child has started developing permanent teeth, thumb sucking can be quite detrimental to their dental health. It can cause significant changes to their jaw shape, teeth, and bite that require dentist care later on. Unfortunately, it's usually hard for kids to stop the habit on their own. That's why you need to help them — and here is how you can do that.
Identify Triggers and Create a Diversion
Knowing what triggers your little one to start sucking his/her thumb is the first step to getting him/her to stop the habit. That's because you will identify ways to address the individual triggers by creating diversions. For instance, most kids will suck their thumbs when they feel nervous or when they're just bored. A good diversion for helping your kid who is nervous is to give him/her stress ball and asking him/her to squeeze it. For boredom, engage them in activities that will keep their hands busy, such as finger painting and colouring pictures.
Use the Bad Taste Strategy
Applying a bad taste to your kid's thumb to discourage them from sucking it is an old-age technique that can actually work. Just make sure you don't resort to extreme measures such as hot sauce or cayenne pepper. Look for something that won't be harmful to your child, such as vinegar or lime juice. The idea is to find something your kid dislikes but isn't harmful to him/her.
Use a Reward System
Rewarding your kid for not sucking their thumb is also another effective way to motivate him/her to stop the habit. However, you will have to explain to him/her the benefits of breaking the habit and the issues associated with thumb sucking.
Try a Thumb Cover
This should be among your last resorts. Your kid may feel like you are compelling him/her to stop the habit because usually, he/she won't be able to take the cover off on his/her own. If you decide to use this technique, you should carefully choose when to put it on your child's thumb. That's because thumb covers tend to limit hand use, and they can interfere with your little one's feeding or playing.
Share26 September 2018
