For many parents, a pacifier is an indispensable tool in raising children. Pacifiers calm crying babies, soothe temper tantrums, and provide comfort to infants as they fall asleep. While beneficial during the infant stage, it is important for children to stop using pacifiers as they get older to promote positive social and emotional development and encourage good oral health. As a new parent, you may be uncertain about when is the best time to take your toddler’s pacifier away. Fortunately, the children’s dentists from Wisconsin’s La Crosse Pediatric Dentistry are here to help.

It is a consensus with most pediatric dentists that pacifier use should stop between ages 2 and 4. By the time children reach this age group, most have grown all of their baby teeth. Children who continue to use their pacifiers after this age have higher incidences of cavities and are more likely to develop pronounced over or underbites. They may also develop speech problems. Children’s dentists recommend parents begin weaning kids from pacifiers beginning at 24 months, and eliminate all pacifier use by age four.

Getting children to give up their pacifiers is a difficult task, but you can use a few tricks to make it easier. One recommended way is cutting off the tip of the pacifier nipple, as toddlers will not receive the same sucking sensation. As a result, many children lose interest altogether within just a few days. You could also introduce your kid to The Binky Fairy, allowing them to either mail their pacifiers away or place them under the pillow for the Fairy to take. In return, give them a reward to celebrate their maturity.

You should also consider the toddler age is overwhelming for many children, as they give up their cribs, bottles, diapers, and pacifiers around the same time. Try to cushion the blow by making their pacifiers the last thing to give up. As a result, most children are already in the “big kid” mentality and are more willing to give them up when the time comes.

If you are in the La Crosse area and need a children’s dentist to help with pacifier weaning or general pediatric dental care, call (608) 782-4054 to schedule an appointment at La Crosse Pediatric Dentistry. For more information on promoting good oral hygiene in children, visit their website today.