Two dentists have shared the age at which children should give up their soothers to avoid damaging their teeth.
Soothers are a big cause of contention among parents; some believe that they shouldn’t be used at all or should be gotten rid of before their child can ask for it back, or by the time they are a year old, while others feel that children will give it up when they are ready.
And both sides are understandable, soothers can be such a comfort item for children and so hard for them to give up. But there is also a lot of scaremongering around soothers, namely, what they will do to a child’s teeth.
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Paediatric dentists, Drs Marina and Basem Nashed have shared the age at which children should give up their soother, and there is much more to it than a specific age.
Firstly, they say that soothers, or pacifiers, are normal and beneficial for babies, helping them sleep and even reducing the risk of SIDS, and that using them is ‘not bad parenting’.
However it is the ‘intensity’ and ‘frequency’ that can make it become a problem.
At what age do soothers begin to damage teeth?
On Instagram, Drs Marina and Basem Nashed said that there are ‘no long term effects’ of soothers before age three and most children will give up naturally by that age.
But after age three, children may develop open bites, flared front teeth, narrow upper arches/crossbites and changes in tongue posture and oral habits if use of soothers persists.
They added that according to the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry, you should limit your child’s use of a soother when their canine teeth emerge, which usually happens around 18 months.
However, the dentists also point out that research has found that ‘jaw development is impacted more by duration than frequency’.
‘The percentage of open bites was significantly greater as the duration of pacifier [usage] continued beyond three years’.
The best ways to stop soother use
According to Drs Marina and Basem Nashed, the following are the best ways to help your child get rid of their soother.
- Gradual weaning
- Cutting the tip off
- Pacifier fairy/trade-in method
- Positive reinforcement & praise
- Cold turkey for some kids
But they say that you should NEVER: Shame, punish, or scare your child over it. ‘Most kids can transition successfully with consistency and patience,’ they add.
