The Pros and Cons of Pacifiers
Posted on: 17 July 2017
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Pacifiers can comfort, soothe and keep babies calm. However, the incorrect use of those pacifiers may be detrimental to the dental health of your child. This article discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of pacifiers.
The Benefits
Weaning. Children often suck their thumbs when they are anxious. Pacifiers can serve the same role as the thumb in soothing the child. However, pacifiers are a better alternative because it will be easier for you to wean your child from the habit of using the pacifier when compared to weaning that child from sucking his or her thumb. A pacifier can be taken away from a child in order to break the habit. You can't take away a child's thumbs for the same purpose.
Administration of treatment. A child will feel less discomfort or pain as he or she undergoes a medical procedure if that child is using a pacifier. This is because the pacifier takes the child's attention away from what the healthcare provider is doing.
Muscle development. Babies who use pacifiers exercise their oral muscles more than babies who don't use pacifiers. This exercise helps those muscles to develop quickly so that the baby will find it easier to suckle. Proper breastfeeding can help the baby to gain weight quickly.
The Cons
Ear infections. Children who use pacifiers may be more prone to contracting ear infections. This risk may be due to the greater amount of fluid that collects within the ear as the child sucks the pacifier.
Possible early weaning. Some babies may not cry when hungry if they have a pacifier. This can reduce how frequently they breastfeed. This reduced rate of breastfeeding can cause them to stop breastfeeding sooner than they would have if they were breastfeeding frequently.
Dental problems. Children who use a pacifier for a long time (beyond two years, for example) face a higher risk of having dental problems, such as jaw misalignment and crooked teeth. This may be because the prolonged use of the pacifier interferes with dental development in that child.
As you can see, pacifiers have benefits and risks. It is therefore helpful for you to consult a child dentist so that you can be given proper advice about how to avoid the risks associated with pacifiers in case your baby is using one. That professional will also give you valuable information about other aspects of your child's dental health during this crucial stage of his or her development.