Pacifier Use & Teeth

Babies are born with a natural sucking reflex to breastfeed and survive. They stimulate their lips and suck to receive nourishment and comfort. It’s also a soothing mechanism. That’s why babies are so fond of pacifiers. But at a certain age, pacifiers should be discontinued to prevent future dental problems. Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces helps both parents and toddlers through phasing out pacifier use. Learn more by contacting our offices in Phoenix, AZ.

Around the age of 6-7 months, an infant is beginning to receive nourishment outside of breast milk/bottle feeding. This is a great opportunity to start decreasing pacifier usage. They should be completely discontinued by the time the child is 2-3 years old. Don’t wait any longer than that. Your Phoenix, AZ, pediatric dentist follows this guideline based on recent research. It states that waiting longer than 36 weeks leads to tongue thrust, malocclusion, and an overbite. Continued usage also harms the growth patterns of the mouth and roof.

There is nothing wrong with a child under the age of one using a pacifier while they sleep. If anything, it’s recommended. A sleeping baby has better protection against SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). After a year, a night-time pacifier increases the risk of a middle ear infection. A pacifier after the age of three heightens the chances of a speech impediment and impairment.

We understand that weaning your child from pacifiers is a difficult task. That’s why we recommend it’s done gradually. Start by just allowing them when your child is napping or sleeping at night. Then transition to just giving it at night. Eventually, this is stopped altogether. Praise your child every time they don’t use their pacifier or make a fuss. Some parents have found success by telling their children that they are giving away their pacifiers to a pacifier fairy or even Santa.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces is a small branch of pediatric dental offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area. To schedule an appointment at the office on N. 75th street, call 623-232-0749. For N. 24th St., dial 480-666-5984. Lastly, for the E. Baseline Road office, contact us at 480-405-4714. You can also visit our website at https://www.kidzconnextion.com/.

Pacifiers and Tooth Development

Kidz Connextion dentists are often asked by parents about weaning their small child off a pacifier.  Infants are soothed to a sense of security by pacifiers, but when the time comes it is one of the hardest habits to break.  It can require a great deal of persuasion, but because of the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth, children should stop using pacifiers by the age of two. 

Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth, and create problems with tooth alignment.  Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur.  Using a pacifier too long can also lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth, and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Until the age of two, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.  We can help and support parents having any trouble weaning their child off a pacifier before that age.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces maintains offices around Phoenix.  To find out more, visit our website at Kidzconnextion.com.