The effect of finger sucking on children's teeth is one of the dangers that can be very effective in the formation of malformed teeth in children.... For this reason, it is necessary to consider the ways to prevent this bad habit for children by knowing the effect of finger sucking on children's teeth.... In this article, we will introduce these solutions and its bad effects on teeth... changeteeth Teeth are one of the most valuable parts of the human body that we need throughout our lives and we always use them from childhood to old age. That is why it is very important to teach our children to brush and care for their teeth from childhood, like many parents, because in Islam, the importance of teeth is emphasized a lot.. Childhood Teeth, like any other part of the body, have their own growth stages, which generally include the growth of milk teeth and then their replacement by permanent teeth.... First, with the growth of the child, after a while, you will see the growth of milk teeth, which has its own importance.... These milk teeth maintain the space of permanent teeth.... In general, the growth of children's teeth includes four main stages, which are: - The formation of the main material of the teeth from the sixth week of pregnancy - The formation of hard tissue around the teeth in the third or fourth month of pregnancy - The growth of teeth and their appearance on the gums after the birth of the child - The fall of children's milk teeth, which is the last stage Is the habit of finger sucking normal in children? Yes, in the first months of life, the habit of finger sucking in babies is actually an instinctive reflex and it is also related to the use of pacifiers... Using a pacifier as an alternative to finger sucking is associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome.. Also, when a baby is not sucking a pacifier or a finger, he may be nursing or sucking on a bottle or even anything that can reach his mouth... In fact, this activity is normal early in life.. The habit of sucking a finger or a pacifier continues for a long time, it may be that since children at a young age cannot consider the consequences of their actions, they usually do so-called childish things that can be harmful to them. Therefore, your duty as parents and their supporters is to first identify these habits and then guide children to control and prevent their occurrence. - Thumb sucking - Sucking various objects, including dolls, pacifiers, etc. - Sucking and biting the lips Next, we want to discuss the effect of finger sucking on children's teeth, where and why this habit started, and what will be the effect of finger sucking on children's teeth... Getting to know the effect of finger sucking on children's teeth First of all, you should know that finger sucking seems normal until the age of 2 and is caused by the child's instinctive desire... But if this habit continues after 3 to 4 years of age, the possibility of long-term effects on the child's bone structure increases. This, you must of it Be aware of the bad effect of finger sucking on a child, encouraging children and showing positive behaviors to encourage them to stop doing this... Of course, it should be noted that negative encouragement methods such as scolding or punishment cannot be effective in giving up this habit by the child, and contrary to your expectations, the child will feel safe to suck the finger... ### **Change in the shape of the jaw Finger sucking can cause abnormal growth of the jaw.. ​​This can lead to problems such as narrowing of the jaw and receding lower jaw.. ​​Finger sucking can cause irritation and inflammation of the gums.. In severe cases it can lead to gum infection... Therapeutic measures If this practice is stopped before the age of 4, the likelihood of complications is less and there is no need for the intervention of parents or doctors, but if the habit continues, it can be done by talking (and not by any means physical punishment) in the first stage, and if the child wants to quit this habit, sometimes it can be done with negative reinforcement, such as using gloves, mittens, or using knuckles to remind them. Quitting the habit.. If the child has reached the age of 6, it is too late to do any of the previous methods.. and the possibility of causing problems on the growth of permanent teeth is more certain. Therefore, at this time, children's dentistry intervenes with the help of making fixed plaques that eliminate the possibility of putting the child's finger in the mouth, which is called a tongue guard... You can also: Set a time limit for him to do this... give him a reward every time if he quits... gradually increase the time limit... increase the reward... tying a ribbon or handkerchief to the finger can remind the child not to do this... take the finger out of the mouth after the children sleep... putting the doctor's habit can be effective in the development of teeth. Also, this method can be effective for tooth growth. Baby teeth... For more information in this field, you can contact our consultants in the contact section to guide you... ###