No need to humiliate those who suck thumbs - Doctor
There are people who still suck their thumbs at age 40 or more, but they often do so in their private spaces to enjoy the self-comforting habit without being judged.
There is nothing really wrong with thumb sucking in adulthood but it is often a sign that someone is finding comfort in the mouth. It might be because they are sad, anxious, or stressed among other things.
Doctor Moses Khutsafalo based in Selibe Phikwe says thumb sucking is a developmental habit, most popular in babies.
“If present in adulthood, there is a need to pay special attention to the person to determine if there is more to them sucking their thumb or not. If it is caused by anxiety or stress, there is a need to get professional assistance such as counselling,” he said.
Khutsafalo admitted that it might be a little embarrassing for an adult to be seen sucking their thumb in public that is why those who do it prefer being out of sight.
“In the old days, thumb sucking was associated with weak moral character and therefore parents and relatives used to forcibly break this habit by placing mechanical constraints on their children’s hands to keep their thumbs out of their mouths.
“Children’s thumbs were sometimes coated with a bitter substance, taped or covered with gloves. It was also considered necessary to shame and humiliate the thumb sucker, so you can imagine what happens when it occurs in adulthood,” Dr. Khutsafalo said.
A majority of children give up thumb sucking at age four but if they do not, parents should not worry. Thumb sucking is not a sign of psychological problems, it is just a comfort zone developed at an infancy stage.
This is because children explore their world through the mouth by putting objects in their mouths.
It does not only end with thumb sucking, some people go on to chew little things such as pens, bottle tops, tongue sucking, and biting their nails among others.
It seems such people always need to be chewing or keeping their mouths busy to get on through the day.
“The only problem with all those is that people end up damaging their teeth. Thumb sucking for example is uncomfortable in adulthood as it causes blisters, and can lead to dental problems,” he said.
A dentist at Lefkara Dental Spa in Gaborone Bonolo Mannathoko-Molefhe testified to often attending to dental problems caused by such soothing habits.
Because of these habits, some people go on to be bullied by members of society.
“It is very common but we have many remedies that we offer them such as bracelets, splints, and habit breakers. For those who suck their thumb, they end up having their tooth arches misaligned.”
Mannathoko-Molefhe added that there is also what they call Bruxism, a habit in which one grinds, gnashes, or clenches their teeth.
That is also a habit that most people do on a daily basis, it is not a sign of sickness but with it, the tooth gets eroded and becomes sensitive. People who do that often have headaches because their muscles are always busy at work.
The dentist has since advised that it is important to first understand the habits and then find the best ways of dealing with them instead of bashing them.