Children who continue to suck their thumbs past the age of six risk suffering from buck teeth and jaw problems, according to one orthodontist.
Dr Neil Counihan has founded London’s first clinic to treat the problem of youngsters who refuse to give up the habit as they age, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Sufferers will be fitted with plastic guards on their thumbs and metal mouth pieces that discourage the practice and replace more traditional deterrent methods such as covering the nails in products that taste bitter.
As teeth develop their alignment and that of the jaw can be affected and in some cases children will require treatment to correct problems if they have continued to suck their thumb, he explained.
Teeth that don’t align correctly can be more prone to damage and can impact on the jaw muscles, causing problems such as headaches and joint problems, the British Dental Health Foundation warns.