%0 Journal Article
%T Prevalence of Thumb Sucking Habits amongst Children at the Knust Basic School
%A Ama A. Amuasi
%A Daniel K. Sabbah
%A Yvonne Agyapong
%A Alexander Oti-Acheampong
%A Robert N. L. Larmie
%J Journal of Biosciences and Medicines
%P 17-30
%@ 2327-509X
%D 2023
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/jbm.2023.119003
%X <strong>Main Objective:</strong> To determine the prevalence of thumb sucking habits amongst children at the KNUST Basic School. <strong>Methodology:</strong> This study was quantitative and descriptive with the design being a cross-sectional type. The data was obtained from KNUST Basic School with a sample size of 200. Data was obtained through questionnaires and clinical examination. <strong>Results:</strong> Out of the 200 children studied, 19 (9.5%) were identified as thumb suckers, with a majority being females (13, 68.42%) and the rest being males (6, 31.58%). Most of the thumb suckers (47.37%) engaged in the habit due to hunger. The clinical manifestations observed among the thumb suckers included Class I malocclusion (94.7%), high arched palate (89.5%), anterior open bite (4), increased overjet (3, 15.8%), proclined maxillary incisors (4, 22.2%), linguoversion of mandibular incisors (1, 5.6%), unilateral posterior crossbite (2, 10.5%), speech changes (7, 41.2%), thinner thumb (7, 36.8%), elongated thumb (9, 47.4%), and callus formation on the thumb (2, 10.5%). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Thumb sucking is a common oral habit which stimulates the growth of the orofacial complex from ages 0 to 3 years. The habit of thumb sucking is usually outgrown by age 3 but beyond this age, it turns out as a deleterious habit which has to be seen as such and measures put in place to stop thumb sucking.
%K Thumb Sucking
%K Malocclusion
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=127360