Pacifiers have been a popular source of controversy among parents for years: some parents swear by them, while others would never allow their child to use one. And with the wide variety of information floating around, it can be hard to know whether or not it’s really okay for your child to use a pacifier. Pediatric Dental Group in Honolulu shares a few of the major concerns about pacifiers and the real truths behind them.

Concern #1: Pacifiers are bad for my child’s oral health. True, pacifiers can cause dental issues, such as problems with proper mouth growth, teeth alignment, and unwanted changes in the shape of your child’s mouth, but you may be surprised to learn that this doesn’t mean your child can never use a pacifier. Actually, pediatric dentistry experts simply recommend that your child not use a pacifier past the age of two. Before that age, any alignment issue will be corrected within six months of weaning your child off the pacifier.

Concern #2: Pacifiers can increase my child’s risk of developing a middle ear infection. Research has shown a relationship between pacifier use and acute middle ear infections. Sucking on a pacifier can cause the tubes in your child’s ear to become abnormally open, which in turns allows the throat’s secretions (and the bacteria contained in those secretions) to seep into the ear, causing the infections. Although not all children will get middle ear infections from pacifier use, if your child is suffering, one possible alternative to the available medical treatments would be to take the pacifier away.

Concern #3: If I let my baby use a pacifier, she’ll become dependent on it. Like anything else, sucking on a pacifier can become a habit for your baby, and you might find yourself waking up in the middle of the night more than once if she gets upset when it falls out of her mouth. But pacifiers can also be a source of comfort for a baby that helps her fall asleep or soothes her after a trip to the baby dentist. Additionally, pacifiers have been shown to reduce a child’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. Babies who suck on a pacifier while they sleep don’t fall into as deep a sleep as babies who don’t use a pacifier. As a result, pacifier sucking will arouse the child from a deep sleep that could result in her breathing stopping.

Whether or not you decide to give your child a pacifier, pediatric dentistry professionals like the ones at Pediatric Dental Group can help you monitor your child’s oral and physical health. To schedule a dental appointment for your child, call (808) 593-8828 for the Honolulu office or (808) 245-2131 for the Lihue office today.