This is a question frequently asked by parents during dental consultation with their children. Being parents is a challenge in itself. There are many people who advise us on when and how to do things, often causing doubts and concerns regarding the decisions we make.
Sucking is a natural reflex for both fetuses and newborns. Until the incorporation of the pacifier, this reflex translates into the baby’s need to suck his hands or fingers. Introducing the pacifier to satisfy this habit of non-nutritive sucking is very useful. In addition to being more hygienic than fingers or hands, what the child sucks will become a habit for him, and it is much more difficult to eliminate the habit of thumb sucking than sucking a pacifier because, obviously, the pacifier can be eliminated from the child’s reach, but the fingers cannot.
In addition, pacifiers have been found to have a calming and analgesic effect on the baby. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics considers the pacifier a good method to relieve pain in babies who undergo vaccinations or other minor interventions.
Non-nutritive sucking is considered normal during the first months of life since it is associated with the need for emotional satisfaction and security. However, its maintenance over time can cause defects in the development of the orofacial complex of our children.
Therefore, it is a habit that should be progressively extinguished as the first teeth appear, marking 2 years of age at the top. Starting from this age, we enter into a prolonged use of the pacifier, which can cause sequelae such as:
Pascal Terjanian DMD is an experienced and knowledgeable Montreal-based family dentist, who is dedicated to providing top-quality dental care to his patients.Dr. Pascal Terjanian maintains a blog on dental issues, covering preventative dentistry topics as well as providing information on warning signs that might warrant professional attention. The blog plays an important role in his strategy for providing quality preventative care..
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