Pacifier Use & Your Child's Teeth - Sirakian Aesthetic & Implant Dentistry

Pacifier Use & Your Child’s Teeth

Posted by: Dr. Sirakian Categories: Dentistry, Oral Health

While there are a quite few documented benefits to giving babies pacifiers, there are downsides to prolonged pacifier use.

Research shows that pacifiers can actually help reduce the incidences of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Babies who suck on pacifiers while they sleep don’t fall asleep as deeply as those who don’t suck on pacifiers. This means that if the baby stops breathing while sleeping they can more easily wake themselves up and start breathing again. In addition to reducing the chance of SIDS, pacifiers also help provide comfort reducing a baby’s anxiety and stress levels.

So What’s the Problem?

Despite all these benefits, however, there are dental implications of using a pacifier. Continued sucking on a thumb or pacifier can negatively impact the alignment of the teeth. Experts recommend the latest a pacifier should be in use is by the child’s second birthday. Beyond age two, pacifier use can cause serious damage to your child’s dentition and tooth alignment.

In addition to the impact on alignment, you also have to take into consideration that continued use of a pacifier could increase the incidences of inner ear infections. The action of sucking on a pacifier opens the auditory tubes in the ear canal. Prolonged sucking causes the auditory tubes to remain open for a long time, allowing bacteria to infect the inner ear.

Should you have questions around infant pacifier use, consult your local Andover, MA dentistry professionals at Sirakian Aesthetic & Implant Dentistry today!

Source.

Tags: pediatrics

3 Habits That Destroy Your Smile

According to a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry, there are a few things you may be doing that are destroying your teeth… Brushing too soon after eating Consuming acidic foods and beverages is a part of everyone’s diet. Whether it is a citrus fruit or a glass of wine, these contain a lot […]

Will Whitening Harm Your Teeth?

Repeated use of whitening strips might sound dangerous to your teeth, but, according to dental professionals, there is no harm to using whitening strips over time. Dr. Denis Kinane, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, said in a New York Times article that “there is no indication that frequent, long-term use […]

Beaver Enamel: What Can We Learn?

When you think of the paradigm of good oral health, you may not think immediately of beavers. However, it’s true—these constructive little critters have good oral health, despite the fact that you don’t see beavers brushing and flossing! So what keeps their teeth in such good condition? They’ve got help right from the get-go with […]

Why Add Mouthwash to Your Oral Health Routine?

Maybe you’ve seen the multi-colored bottles of minty-fresh mouthwash in the supermarket and have been wondering what the benefits are of adding mouthwash to your routine. Mouthwash won’t be the answer to all of your oral health needs, so read on to figure out what mouthwash can and can’t do for you. When adding mouthwash […]

ADA Recommends Earlier Fluoride Distribution for Children

When you think about dental hygiene for your kids, are brushing and flossing the only things that come to mind? These two items are highly important to maintain good oral health, but recently, the American Dental Association “recommends earlier fluoride distribution for children,” meaning parents will have to put a tad more effort in caring […]