Let’s be honest — pacifiers can be a blessing for parents sometimes. They do amazing jobs of soothing and quieting a fussy baby. They also teach babies how to suck down milk and formula quickly and efficiently, and they build mouth and jaw muscles.
After a while, though, pacifiers can do more harm than good. That’s why weaning your child off them at just the right age is important before the damage becomes evident. You may be surprised at how it can manifest.
The Center for Pediatric Dental Health encourages you to begin weaning your child off a pacifier at age 2. Let us explain why.
Why a Baby’s Pacifier Is Important
Why is a baby pacifier necessary? It serves a purpose other than comforting a crying child. A pacifier helps an infant hone its nursing and bottle skills.
Infants have very few motor skills, including ones for feeding. They help the infant learn to suck milk down its throat by thrusting their tongue forward and backward. It teaches them to eat better and more efficiently, bringing more food and less air into their digestive systems.
They also provide comfort for an infant. Most babies find comfort while nursing or eating, and pacifiers remind them of that comfort. They are a psychological tool as well as a learning tool.
How long does a baby need a pacifier? The tool isn’t meant to be used beyond age two. At this time, the baby’s speech and mouth are developing, and this tool can be more of a detriment to both.
When Should Babies Stop Using Pacifiers?
If you’re wondering when to wean pacifier use, the general consensus is between ages 2 and 3. It’s best to start weaning by age 2, but by the time your child is three years old, they definitely should be off them and thumb-sucking.
Why should babies stop using a pacifier by age 2? Two important things are happening with your child at this time.
Your baby should start eating more solid food and learning new motor skills with its mouth, such as chewing up and down. This should teach your baby how to eat correctly while reducing the amount of tongue thrusting against the front of its mouth.
Children also should be learning to speak at this time. Proper speech takes time, but eventually, they will learn proper tongue placement to form words and letters correctly. This may be more difficult if they’re still used to thrusting their tongues forward with frequent use.
Children who don’t stop using a pacifier or sucking their thumbs by age 3 may end up with speech impediments, digestive issues, and overbites from the tongue pushing against the front incisors.
How Does a Pacifier Affect My Child’s Teeth?
You may think they can’t damage your child’s mouth much, but they can alter their teeth and jaws. The pressure of the pacifier against the developing roof of their mouth can force the bones to form more concave than usual. This can push the palate into the nasal cavity, leading to breathing problems later.
The placement of the pacifier and the movement of the tongue against the teeth can cause teeth not only to come in crooked but also to be thrust outward on the upper jaw or inward on the lower jaw.
Children who have not been weaned by age 3 can develop an overbite, in which the upper front teeth sit too far forward of the lower front teeth, or an open bite, in which the front teeth are angled outward, creating a gap between the upper and lower teeth horizontally.
How to Wean a Baby Off a Pacifier
So, how do you wean off a pacifier? It seems easier said than done. While some children may have difficulties, most stop using them as they age because they simply don’t need them anymore.
When should you start weaning your child off a pacifier? Our best suggestion is to let your child signal when they’re ready. When offered a pacifier, your child may begin rejecting it.
Don’t insist they take it; praise them for being brave. Over time, your child may use it less and less, eventually forgetting about it altogether.
Here are other tips or suggestions for helping your child kick their pacifier habit.
- Limit the child’s access to the pacifier to specific times, such as during naptime or at night. Also, limit or eliminate other pacifier times, including random day use.
- If the child forgets to use the pacifier, don’t offer it and try not to remind them of it afterward. They may be able to quit “cold turkey.”
- Use a weaning system, such as the Frida Pacifier Weaning system or Lily Method Pacifier Weaning System. Both systems consist of five pacifiers that reduce in size, creating less satisfaction when they suck on them until they do not need them.
- Offer your child special treats or playtime if they give up using their binky for the night.
- Suggest that your child leave their binky for the “Binky Fairy,” similar to the Tooth Fairy, who will give them a gift in exchange for the binky.
- Suggest other ways to get rid of them, such as planting them in the yard. You can dig it up later and replace it with a tree or a flower.
We do not recommend putting anything on the pacifier that would make it unpleasant, such as hot sauce or other substances. In addition to being painful, this could cause digestive issues and make sleeping difficult.
Correcting Pacifier Teeth Problems in Sicklerville, MA
Ending your child’s pacifier use before permanent damage is done to their teeth, jaws, and speech is important. The Center for Pediatric Dental Health can help you end your child’s pacifier habit. We have several suggestions to make the transition easier for you and your child.Schedule an appointment with us in Sicklerville, MA, Mount Laurel, MA, or Woolrich Township, MA. We would love to help you put your child on a path to a healthy smile!
