While thumb or finger sucking is a completely normal behavior for babies, parents and caregivers need to be aware that if it continues too long, it could prove harmful to the development of your child's teeth and jaws. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that parents and caregivers encourage children to stop this habit by age three. And recent studies have shown that pacifier use after the age of two may cause long-term changes in the mouth; thus they recommend stopping pacifier use by 18 months.
Understand why this behavior for young children bears watching in Thumb Sucking in Children.
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