Finger sucking is a phenomenon seen in normal children up to 3-4 years without any psycho-pathological factors.

Generally, it is expected that the finger sucking which becomes common around the 18th month will disappear towards the age of 4. Investigations proved that, at the latest, at the age of 5-6, there is no harm to finger sucking, but if it does occur, it can cause deformation in the teeth. As with bedwetting, constant finger sucking habits can also develop as a result of psychological problems and tensions.

Parents may be anxious about the effects of children sucking their fingers on their jaw bones and teeth. It is true that the finger sucking pushes the lower and upper teeth back. Finger sucking depends on how much the teeth are affected, the duration of finger absorption, and most importantly the position of the finger on the mouth. This change in the baby teeth indicates that they do not affect the permanent teeth after the age of 6.

What to do to prevent finger sucking

It may be useful to give suggestions if the child continues to suck his/her finger when he/she is about 4-5 years old. To tell the child what he/she is doing is a childish behavior and he/she does not look nice to others. Children tend to be like a big person at this age, mimicking the parent. Most of the time they act like their parents. Parents should consider this situation very well for their child. It can often be effective to say that they do not suck their fingers, because it does not look very nice.

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