Worried about your baby sucking on pacifiers or thumbs? Don't worry, check out my third installment for the guest blog series for The Snapback where I give the low down!
Babies have a natural tendency to suck either on their fingers or pacifier to help themselves soothe, there are however dental implications for this habit. Before you try to stop getting your baby to use a pacifier, here are some facts to help you navigate this aspect of parenthood.
Infants have this sucking reflex to help soothe them and provide a secure environment as they explore and learn about their new world. This habit only becomes a problem when it occurs for an extended period of time. This is why it is important to monitor the child and intervene appropriately. Generally speaking, pacifier use is an easier habit to break than thumbsucking.
Prolonged use of a pacifier or thumbsucking can affect how the child’s dentition erupts. This habit can result in abnormal forces affecting the way the jaw develops and how the teeth are aligned. If the child continues with these habits, it can cause teeth misalignment, which includes crossbite, anterior open bite, flared anterior teeth. Open bite is characterized by the front teeth not touching when the child is biting down. Besides aesthetics being a concern, the misalignment of the jaw and teeth can impede on the child’s ability to develop speech properly, interfere with biting and chewing foods, and also cause unnatural wear on the back teeth, thus leading to other dental problems including fractured teeth or tooth loss.
Generally speaking, most children stop this habit on their own by the age of 2 to 4 years old, right in time for their permanent teeth to erupt. Seeing the dentist regularly can help monitor the situation. Oftentimes children outgrow this habit and any signs of open bites in primary teeth typically resolve on their own. However, in more severe cases, dental intervention may be needed which include behavior modifications or appliances.
What can you do? If you see your baby thumbsucking, try offering him or her the pacifier. This is an easier habit to break than thumbsucking. Moreover, in severe thumbsucking cases, children can injure their mouth or even their fingers, so it is important to monitor. Positive encouragement and reinforcement really aid in slowing down these habits. If the child is old enough to understand, try explaining to him or her the reasons why thumbsucking or pacifier use is not good for teeth. If the child is much older and the habit is still not resolved, appliances or applying something unsavory on the fingers may help deter them. Speak to your pediatrician and dentist to help determine the best treatment plan.
Clipping the tip of the pacifier or slowly decreasing the frequency (eg only using it at night time) can also help wean children from using it. It is important to note that pacifiers with attachment (eg stuffed animals) are much heavier than a traditional pacifier. It has been shown that this weight can exacerbate the adverse effects of these habits and cause more severe forms of jaw abnormalities and teeth misalignment.
Does this mean you shouldn’t get any pacifiers or purchase really expensive orthodontic ones? No! What it truly comes down to is using good judgement. All these habits are of concern if it is over an extended period of time and/or happens very frequently. This habit is preferred over sleeping with a bottle during nights and studies have shown it has decreased the incidence of SIDS. Whether you use the hospital pacifier, the orthodontic one, or the ones with cute stuffed animals – they are all fine in moderation. You with this information, along with your doctors, can help maintain healthy oral habits to prevent dental complications in the future!
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