Download Pacifier - Glenn Hemberger Dentistry

AS
S E E N
By Dr. Glenn V. Hemberger
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when biting off food. The
back teeth are also affected
t seems there is never a shortage of
causing the upper teeth and
advice in raising your baby and the
palate to become too narrow
use of a pacifier is no exception. The
to bite properly with the
advice, however, often varies wildly
lower teeth. While some of
when the questions are asked: When
these dental problems may
eventually self-correct
when the pacifier is no
longer used, frequently
they will continue resulting in the need for early and
extra orthodontic correction.
Prolonged pacifier use can also contribute to lisping during speech development and difficulty in proper
swallowing of solid foods. This is due
to an anterior tongue posture often
known as “tongue thrust.” In most
should I give my baby the pacifier?
cases, improvement in both speech and
When and how should I wean? Are
swallowing will occur when the pacithere any ill-effects? Is it necessary at
fier’s use is totally discontinued. The
all?
sooner its use is curtailed, the more
Most experts agree that babies do
quickly will be the improvement.
have a real need for sucking and the
The weaning process is difficult for
pacifier’s use does fulfill this desire. The some parents. Although immediate
pacifier may, in some cases, even recurtailment of the pacifier works well
place the thumb in non-nutritive suck- for children with a mild propensity,
ing and is certainly more easily
others present more of a challenge. A
controlled. The key word, however, is
child’s desire for the pacifier can be
controlled.
lessened quickly if the parents place
A pacifier should never be forced on small holes in the nipple. The main ina child just because of crying. The
gredient in a quick and successful
baby’s crying could well be unrelated
weaning process is the resolve the parto their need to suck.
ent presents. Your child will quickly
Your child should not be allowed to
pick up on this and will give you conhave the
siderably less of a challenge. A small
pacifier at all times during the day. The child can not be expected to make this
emphasis, again, is to control the use of decision on their own.
the pacifier and mainly limit it to bedIn conclusion, the pacifier is recomtime.
mended to help satisfy your baby’s
When you child begins to crawl, the
need for sucking but parents must be
weaning process should already begin.
in control of its use.
By 12-16 months of age, total weaning
should have taken place. Prolonged use
Dr. Glenn V. Hemberger, D.D.S., M.S.
of the pacifier (past 16 months of age) specializes in dental care from baby’s first
can have several ill-effects on the teeth. check-up (12-18 months) to preventative
The baby’s front teeth position is al- care. He also provides orthodontic care.
tered to where they cannot function
I
Pacifier