Thumb Sucking Treatment

Psychological Method:

The child is guided by the dentist and parent to consciously put an end to the thumb sucking habit over a period. This is possible only if the child is psychologically willing and wants to stop the habit.

Children often combine thumb-sucking habit with other secondary habits such as hair pulling or nose probing. Frequently making the secondary habit impossible to perform can break the primary habit.

It is very important not to criticize the child. The child needs a lot of support and affection. He should be told about the ill effects of sucking the thumb to reinforce his determination to stop thumb sucking.

Extra oral method:

The other simple methods are:

Painting the child’s thumb or finger with an unpleasant tasting substance.

Tapping the thumb with plaster so as to prevent thumb sucking.

The above-mentioned methods will succeed depending upon the attitude of the parent. The parents should in someway reward the child for “growing out of the habit” during the procedure both by their action and by a small token prize. This will make a deep impression on the child and orient him towards completely breaking of the habit.

The parent should also be warned that there is always the possibility that a more deleterious habit will spring up in its place if the present one is suppressed.

Intra oral methods:

This is done by fabricating appliances, which are then fitted into the mouth of the child by the dentist. They are normally viewed as punishment devices by the child there by sometime producing severe emotional disturbances. If the appliances are going to convert a happy youngster into a nervous child overnight, it is not worth it.