As every parent knows, babies don’t come with instructions as infants. Each one is unique and has different needs, personalities, and issues. Needless to say, it can be challenging to figure out what works for your baby! For some, a pacifier soothes crying, assists with sleep, and reduces the ear pressure they feel during travel on planes, but pacifiers can come with some less than favorable impacts too. For instance, pacifiers can complicate breastfeeding, form a dependency for the baby, and carry infectious germs. But does this little convenient product negatively affect a baby’s oral development? The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no.
How Can a Pacifier Affect My Child’s Mouth?
Early on, a pacifier has very little influence on your baby’s teeth, jaw, and palate. During the first year or two, their mouths still have plenty of growth ahead, and use of a pacifier shouldn’t put their smile at risk of harm. However, after reaching older toddlerhood, having a pacifier in their mouth—or a thumb for thumb-suckers—a child can experience misalignment in their teeth and jaw. In fact, their teeth can grow protruding forward, crooked, or angled apart from each other, preventing the upper and lower teeth from meeting properly when the mouth is closed. In addition, their upper palate or roof of their mouth can alter its shape to conform to the pacifier or push upward instead of widening and making necessary space for further growth.
When Does My Child Need to Stop Using a Pacifier?
While you have an infant and young toddler, a pacifier is permissible to help them self-soothe and sleep peacefully. However, both the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry strongly encourage taking away a pacifier and finish weaning a child from this habit by the time they turn four years old at the latest. Ideally this should be done by age three to reduce the impact on their oral development, because the risks increase as the child gets older.
How Can I Successfully Remove My Child’s Pacifier?
Ending habits can present a significant struggle for many adults, and little ones can be just as stubborn. You can either stop cold turkey or progressively phase it out. However, with a few helpful tips and patience, you can break the need for your child to have a pacifier. Here are some things you can do to make the transition smoother:
- Try to schedule weaning for a period of time that is less stressful.
- Explain that not having a pacifier anymore is part of growing up.
- Reduce their access to a pacifier to sleep times only.
- Replace a pacifier with another comforting item like a favorite blanket or stuffed animal.
- Develop other calming habits for bedtime like reading stories or singing lullabies.
- Remove all pacifiers from sight and stay strong and patient if they have meltdowns.
- Use positive reinforcement when they go without a pacifier successfully.
You may not have a manual, but it can provide some comfort knowing some reliable rules exist to guide you. If a pacifier works for your infant and young toddler, you can use it, but make sure you end this habit before they become older toddlers and preschoolers. Without it, their teeth and other oral structures have a better chance to develop in a healthy way.
About the Practice
At Wash Park Pediatric Dentistry, we have two board-certified pediatric dentists, which means they have years of extra training focused on infants, toddlers, children, and teens. In other words, they have special knowledge that general family dentists typically do not. Dr. Patrick Bowman and Dr. Kathleen Waguepack also have kids of their own, so they can provide advice both as highly qualified professionals and experienced fellow parents. To schedule an appointment with them, visit our Contact Us page here or call our Denver office at 720-647-6310.