When the pacifier habit is stopped by age three or four, the affected baby teeth often have time to drift back. Teeth will not fully self-correct if a pacifier is used for too long.
Luke Matranga, spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry, says that prior to age 2, any consequences of pacifier use – like misaligned teeth or bone development problems – are temporary and will correct themselves within 6 months provided that pacifier use is stopped.
You can get rid of pacifier teeth. The treatment depends on the specific issues. As mentioned above, some dental problems of pacifier teeth correct themselves when the child stops using a pacifier and the adult teeth come in. In general, issues that develop before 2 years of age are usually reversible.
The earlier a child can shake their sucking habit, the better! This is why the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends reducing pacifier use and thumb sucking by 18 months of age.
There's no perfect time to wean your baby off using a pacifier, but the consensus is that 1 year old is ideal, and 3 years is the absolute limit. Most infants will stop using a pacifier on their own by that time. The best thing to do is to speak to your pediatrician about your child's individual needs.
The main side effect of pacifier weaning will be disrupted sleep. You can expect the sleep schedule shake-up to last anywhere from a couple days to a week. The length of pacifier withdrawal depends on how reliant your baby was on their binky for soothing at bedtime.
While using a pacifier to soothe a baby is completely normal, a pediatric dentist generally should monitor this habit to maintain a child's oral health. Parents should consistently update the dentist on a child's pacifier use at every checkup.
Consistent, long-term pacifier use can change the shape of your child's mouth as well as the positioning of the teeth and jaw. As babies and toddlers develop, their jaws grow around anything held inside the mouth on a regular basis. That's why long-term pacifier use can cause issues.
Slowly reduce the amount of pacifier time.
First, stop using the pacifier during non-stressful times. Then, don't allow the pacifier outside of the crib. Finally, take the pacifier away for good. Be sure to avoid weaning your child off his pacifier during major life changes, like moving or starting at a new school.
Finally, you can take it away completely. Cut a hole in it. Cut off the tip of the pacifier or snip a hole in it so the pacifier no longer provides suction. Give your child the pacifier as usual — sucking on it won't be effective, so your child won't like it as much and will eventually stop using it.
Go Cold Turkey
So pick a day to make the change. Explain it to your little one that starting today, their pacifier is going away. Then take all the pacifiers out of the bedroom and throw them away. This way you're not tempted to give it to your toddler at bedtime.
Pacifier weaning methods for babies
It will take about 3 days to break the habit (sometimes sooner!) if you're consistent in your approach.
Most kids stop sucking between the ages of two and four, or by the time that their permanent teeth are ready to erupt. That said, if you notice changes in your child's primary teeth or are just concerned about your child's pacifier or thumbsucking habit, it's time to check with your pediatric dentist.
Weaning your child from the pacifier can be sticky and challenging, but it's important to avoid long-term use to reduce the risks of ear infections, dental issues, and speech problems. Make it easy on your child and yourself by weaning gradually with the steps mentioned above.
"They do interfere in the beginning with breastfeeding sometimes so that's why we don't have them in the hospital and have them for the first three to four weeks," explained Dr. Theresa Patton, with Methodist Dallas Medical Center. "Pacifiers are gone from general use.
In my Montessori training, we learned that babies should ideally not use a pacifier. So if you haven't started using one, then this is something to consider. A pacifier can be used to give the parent some quiet, when the child is actually trying to communicate their needs.
Consider the drawbacks: Your baby might become dependent on the pacifier. If your baby uses a pacifier to sleep, you might face middle-of-the-night crying spells when the pacifier falls out of your baby's mouth. Pacifier use might increase the risk of middle ear infections.
Long-term pacifier use may cause teeth issues. Normal pacifier use in the first few years of life does not usually result in long-term tooth issues. However, using a pacifier for an extended period may cause a child's teeth to become crooked. A pacifier may disrupt breastfeeding.
A prolonged and frequent sucking habit may eventually cause crooked teeth or bite problems. The longer the habit continues, the more likely it is that your child will need orthodontic treatment in the future. Consequently, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends discouraging pacifier use after age three.
Yes, newborns can sleep with pacifiers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies use pacifiers at nap time and night to reduce their risk of SIDS.