What You Need To Know About The Use Of Dummies And How They Affect Baby Teeth

Posted on: 22 January 2015

Many people give their children dummies because of the calming effects that they have on babies. However, dummies can also cause harm to baby teeth. Before you give your child a dummy, do some research and see what potential problems this may cause. The following are some of the issues that can result from using dummies.

Dummies may cause alignment problems

Consistent use of a dummy can bring about alignment problems. Babies who suck on a dummy regularly might develop alignment problems when their teeth are pushed into different positions. If you suck on something for a long enough period of time, the pressure will distort the teeth.

Rather than having teeth grow in a straight line, they will start to grow at a crooked angle. One of the most common problems caused by the use of dummies is an anterior open bite. This brings with it a large gap in between the bottom and the upper teeth. In many cases, the back teeth do not touch and the front teeth are pushed away from one another leaving them far from touching as well.

Dummies may delay adult teeth

Dummies can however delay adult teeth. Children who use dummies at the age of five or older will face the possibility of having their adult teeth stunted. Many children will lose their baby teeth around the age of five. If your child continues to use a dummy at the age of five, it may cause significant delay to the growth of the adult teeth. Dummies may also affect other things other than just teeth. Some studies indicate that they increase ear infections for children who are older than five years and that they can also stunt speech and language development.

When to use dummies

Just because dummies may not cause a problem immediately does not mean that you should steer clear. Dummies are safe for very young children, but once they reach about two years of age and their teeth start to break through, they should stop using them. It really takes teeth only six months to realign, so even if your child has passed the age of two and is still using a dummy, long-term damage may not be present so long as they stop using it and allow their teeth to realign naturally.

Benefit of dummies

While dummies can damage the teeth in the long-term, they offer an advantage for children under the age of two. Researchers found that babies have a decreased chance of dying from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) if they are allowed to suck on a dummy at night. Of course, as babies get older, there is no longer the need to worry about SIDS. At this point, there is no longer a need to use the dummies.

For more information, contact Kappenman Family Dental or a similar location.

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Providing Children With Dental Knowledge

When my three children were young, they were all excited to go to the dentist. The dentist's office was great fun with a large fish tank and a variety of puzzle toys in the waiting room. I liked the pediatric dental office so much that I jumped at the chance when I was offered a receptionist job. Many of the children who came to see the dentist were not nearly as happy as my children. Most kids were scared and anxious, and I learned fairly quickly that the children were worried because they had no idea what to expect. The dentist at the office provided me with a set of dental tools that I could show to the children. I explained how each of the devices worked. This eased the fears, and I started this blog so parents could share dental information with their children before dental visits.

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