Most parents know this story all too well. The ‘innocent pacifier’ is used when babies are born to offer them comfort – and yes, to keep them from crying. Babies have a strong sucking need when they are born, but the dreaded pacifier often becomes too much of a crutch and a habit over time.
It almost becomes an attachment to their mouths! What do you do? Is a pacifier harmful? Should you be worried?
Our experts at Atkins, Maestrello, Miller & Associates know that pacifiers can carry cavity-causing germs to your baby’s mouth before he or she even has teeth emerging. It can even affect tooth placement down the road.
Here’s what Dr. Elizabeth Miller has to say in her blog about the use of pacifiers:
It’s a story many parents tell to their children’s dentist. My child won’t stop using the pacifier, what do I do? The story is usually followed by many questions. What effect does the pacifier have on my child’s teeth? When does my child definitely have to stop using the pacifier? Will my child need braces because they used the pacifier? The hardest question of all, (but to me the most fun and interesting) is how do I get my child to stop using the pacifier?
It seems silly to have to write a blog series on a piece of plastic that children put in their mouths for comfort, but it’s a real issue that many parents face.
As a pediatric dentist, I get these questions every single day – so many questions – that I will need to make The Legend of the Pacifier a 3-part series. Part one will discuss how children become attached to the pacifier, part two will discuss how the pacifier affects your child’s teeth, and part three (my personal favorite) will give parents suggestions on how help your child stop using the pacifier.
Don’t miss a single installment of this 3-part series because you may be surprised at what you learn. And if our readers have tips on getting kids to give up their pacifiers, please leave us a comment below or on our Facebook page. Dr. Miller may be able to use your advice in her blog to help other parents dealing with this challenge.
Kids probably won’t head off to kindergarten with a pacifier in their mouths, but the damage to their teeth could be done long before that day arrives anyway.
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