Hamidreza Poureslami - Associate Professor, Kerman Oral and Dental Diseases Research Center, Department of Pedodontics, School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Mohammadreza Abolbashari - Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hoda Shamsadin - Resident, Department of Pedodontics, School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Hamid Sharifi - Assistant Professor, Research Center for Modeling in Health, Institute of Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences AND Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University
Parnian Poureslami - Student of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of finger sucking habit among three-six-year-old children from kindergartens of Kerman, Iran. METHODS: This descriptive, cross-sectional study used census sampling to select ۱۰۰۰ children from ۴۰ kindergartens. Data was collected by a checklist and clinical examination.  Chi-square test in SPSS۱۶ was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of finger sucking habit was ۳.۴%. There was no statistically significant relation between gender and the habit. Pacifier sucking habit was not an influencing factor in finger sucking habit. Most children (۴۷.۰۶%) had received exclusive breastfeeding. Anterior open bite was seen in ۵۰.۰۰% of the children with finger sucking habit. CONCLUSION: This study showed the decreased prevalence of finger sucking habit compared to similar studies. This difference might have been caused by the type of feeding (about ۵۰% of the children in the present study were breast-fed).

Finger and Thumb Sucking, Prevalence, Oral Habits, breast-feeding