Dear Melissa:
I am pregnant and due next month with my first child. What are your thoughts on the use of pacifiers? If I do choose to use a pacifier, which ones are best?
First of all, congratulations! There are so many choices to make with a new baby that can be a bit overwhelming all at once. Which doctors should you use, disposable or cloth diapers, which crib to buy, etc… The use of a pacifier is one of those decisions that is often tricky for new parents. Many medical professionals as well as parents have very strong opinions as to whether to use a pacifier or not.The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that there is no harm in the use of pacifiers and that pacifiers may actually have a preventative effect for SIDS. However, the La Leche League strongly discourages the use of pacifiers and wants infants to solely breastfeed. Personally, I have always been curious to see the different medical perspectives on this controversial pacifier topic. So, first we will explore the issue from a dental perspective. So I’m reaching out to my favorite local pediatric dentist, Dr. Karen Green from Pediatric Dental Associates:
Melissa: Should infants be allowed pacifiers?
Dr. Green: Babies have a natural reflex called non-nutritive sucking, and will try to suck on objects even when they are not hungry. Some babies even suck on their fingers or thumbs before they are born. In this respect, a pacifier is not a bad option and can soothe the baby. It may even be a better option than the child using a finger or thumb to suck on. A pacifier would likely be more hygienic than sucking on a finger/hand that was also used to touch everything else! In addition, a pacifier habit is
much more easily broken than a thumb/finger habit.
much more easily broken than a thumb/finger habit.
Melissa: I have noticed that some pacifiers are labeled “orthodontic”. Are some pacifiers better than others?
Dr. Green: Yes, some pacifiers carry the label “orthodontic”. Basically, the flatter the pacifier is at the roof of the mouth, the less it may affect the palate (or roof of the mouth) and it is less likely to cause orthodontic problems with prolonged use.
Melissa: If an infant/child does enjoy using a pacifier, at what age to you recommend
weaning/eliminating it?
weaning/eliminating it?
Dr. Green: I recommend weaning/eliminating by 2 years of age to avoid long term bite complications. If a child repeatedly sucks on a finger, thumb, or pacifier over long periods of time, the upper front teeth may tip outward and create an open space in the front of the mouth where the top teeth and the bottom teeth no longer meet.
A special thanks to Dr. Karen Green for her opinions on pacifier use! We will also be
interviewing her in a few weeks regarding her opinions on bottles and sippy cups.
interviewing her in a few weeks regarding her opinions on bottles and sippy cups.
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| front office area at Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics |
Do you have questions you would like me to explore on my weekly blog?
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Resources:
Pacifiers, American Academy of Pediatrics (accessed May 2015)
Pacifier Overuse May Harm Speech Skills, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (Downloaded May 2015)
Pediatric Dental Associates, Northwest Arkansas
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Mayo Clinic (accessed May 2015)
Thumb Sucking and Pacifier Use, American Dental Association (Downloaded May 2015)
10 Tips to Breastfeeding for a Year, La Leche League (Downloaded May 2015)