There is no doubt that pacifiers can help reduce your baby’s fussing and comfort them, particularly if they have a powerful need to suck but have not yet learned how to get their fingers into their mouth.
However, there are a few potential risks to be mindful of before giving a pacifier to your infant. You might have questions such as, “Do pacifiers cause buck teeth?” or “When is it okay to give my baby a pacifier?”
Here is all you ought to remember about using pacifiers for newborns!
Do Pacifiers Really Cause Buck Teeth?
No, pacifiers generally do not cause dental issues, including buck teeth. Using a pacifier into toddlerhood is unlikely to affect how a child’s teeth grow or whether they will need corrective methods like braces in their later years.
That being said, using a pacifier continuously and excessively beyond the age of four can affect how the teeth grow and their alignment.
This is the age that adult teeth start coming in. A pacifier can result in a pronounced arch in the front teeth.
Thumb sucking is more likely to result in buck teeth since some children take longer to grow out of this habit.
More often than not, though, buck teeth are a natural consequence. There are no certain methods or precautions that parents can take to prevent buck teeth.
Having your child visit the orthodontist at seven years old can help you determine whether they will need corrective braces.
Can a Pacifier Cause Overbite?
An overbite is more commonly the result of thumb sucking rather than using a pacifier.
This is because thumb sucking is a harder habit to breaker than sucking on a pacifier, which is primarily in the parent’s control.
If a child continues to use a pacifier beyond the age of four, the chances of them developing an overbite are increased since the adult teeth start emerging at this age.
In any case, malformed teeth are rarely caused by the use of a pacifier. In some cases, an overbite can be a hereditary feature.
If you would like to take precautions, you can have a dentist keep track of your child’s jaw and facial development and teeth alignment.
Do Pacifiers Delay Teeth Coming In?
Pacifiers do not harm developing teeth or produce crooked teeth if used appropriately and within the suggested time restrictions.
Experts advise using a pacifier for little more than 6 hours each day. With that in consideration, it’s critical to recognize that each child’s mouth and teeth develop at a different rate.
If you are still concerned about giving your baby a pacifier, you can opt for an orthodontic pacifier. These are less likely to cause any misalignment since they are flatter in shape.
When Should You Give Your Baby a Pacifier?
Before you introduce a pacifier, make sure your infant has gotten the hang of breastfeeding, which happens typically about 3 or 4 weeks after they’re born.
This is due to the fact that the sucking process for nursing differs from that of sucking on a pacifier. So, it is best to wait until your infant is at least one month old.
Are There Benefits to Giving a Baby a Pacifier?
Understanding pacifier pros and cons can help you make a responsible and informed decision for your baby. So, how does a pacifier benefit your baby?
Pacifiers can reduce how fussy your baby is, whether that be when they require assistance going to sleep at night or to keep them distracted.
Pacifiers can assist a baby in learning to self-soothe, especially at nap and nighttime. They can also assist your baby in falling asleep more quickly and learning to drift off to sleep on their own.
Pacifiers can also be useful if your baby needs to be entertained at the doctor’s office or if their ears begin popping while flying.
Pacifiers for newborns have a calming effect and have proven effective for pain and anxiety relief.
Is a Pacifier Better Than Thumb-Sucking?
Sucking on a thumb or finger is a very intuitive approach for a baby to self-soothe, and typically babies will do this for at least a brief while.
It’s low-maintenance since you won’t lose pacifiers, and your baby will be able to discover its own fingers with ease.
Fingers, on the other hand, take up a lot of bacteria and germs, which eventually wind up in the mouth, and moreover, thumb sucking is a difficult habit to overcome.
Pacifiers, on the contrary, come in a variety of shapes and colors. They’re cheap, easy to clean, and potentially more sanitary than thumb sucking.
They should be cleaned frequently, particularly if they have fallen on the floor. A pacifier habit is slightly simpler to overcome for some mothers than a thumb-sucking habit.
Final Thoughts
It’s perfectly natural to be perplexed or conflicted in regards to pacifiers and determining what really is better for your baby’s specific needs.
Most of these views and perspectives about pacifiers for newborns are frequently hard to identify which side of the truth they are on and if whether we can define pacifiers as “good” or “bad.”
Nevertheless, when it comes to the question, “Do pacifiers cause buck teeth?” the answer is usually no.
It is best to avoid prolonged pacifier use beyond the age of 4 to eliminate any chance of a pacifier causing misaligned teeth.
Apart from that, using a pacifier is a great way to soothe your baby, reduce their anxiety and help them be less fussy!
