By David Hutto As an adult you surely would not dream of running your hands over multiple surfaces and then licking off the collected bacteria and viruses. Yet children who suck their thumbs are doing exactly this. As parents will testify, even without thumbsucking, young children consistently bring home colds and illnesses picked up from Read more about Can thumb sucking increase sickness among children?[…]
By David Hutto Picture a child in first grade standing on a school playground, watching other children kick a ball. The child wants to play and moves toward the other children, then asks, “Can I be in it?” Instead of an expected answer like “OK, you be on that side,” the child is told “No, Read more about Bullying and Thumb Sucking: The Social Impact of the Habit on Children[…]
by David Hutto While the sight of a child sucking the thumb may evoke an image of innocence, the harmful effects of prolonged thumb sucking can be severe. If the services of a dentist or orthodontist become necessary to address the problem, those effects involve great effort, emotional impact, and high cost. Dental devices to Read more about Orthodontic Solutions to Thumb Sucking and their Cost[…]
By David Hutto The word “occlusion” is used to describe the way the upper and lower teeth fit together. The best fit is when the upper teeth slightly fit over the front of the lower teeth, with molars (the rear teeth) fitting together in a kind of grooved way. “Malocclusion” refers to a situation in which Read more about Damage Caused by Thumb Sucking[…]
By David Hutto All people are born with a natural sucking instinct, so that a newborn when placed to the mother’s breast is able to feed from birth. In addition to the pleasure and satiation of eating, breastfeeding can provide comfort and positive feelings from being held and caressed, as well as from the warmth Read more about Thumb Sucking: An Overview[…]