title: When children put their fingers in their mouths. Should parents and dentists care?
abstract: We have heard mothers tell their children not to stick their fingers in their mouths because they will get sick. Medical and dental professionals know this is true. Oral habits like thumb sucking and nail biting can damage the structure of the mouth and can lead to the spread of infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Dentistry, Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery, USA.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000635:transmission; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005385:Fingers; D005386:Fingersucking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000628:therapy; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009259:Nail Biting / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000628:therapy; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000209:etiology; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014061:Tongue Habits / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000628:therapy; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control