Question
An 8-month-old baby often puts their right thumb in their mouth to suck, even during sleep, and despite parents’ attempts to intervene, the habit persists. Some people believe that children will naturally outgrow this behavior as they grow older. Is this belief accurate? Parents are worried that this behavior may harm the fingers or affect the baby’s teeth, especially since the baby has already grown three very sparse teeth. We hope experts can provide guidance. Thank you.
Answer
During the teething period, children may suck on their fingers due to tooth pain. It is recommended that parents offer biscuits or bread slices for the baby to eat, which can help alleviate the discomfort and break the habit of finger-sucking. Long-term finger-sucking may be detrimental to tooth growth.