The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), recommends stopping pacifier use before 2 to 4 years of age; however, it also notes that other types of sucking, such as non-nutritive sucking, are normal for babies and young children, and recommends weaning by 3 years. The use of pacifiers for a long time may cause speech sound disorders and delays and can also result in tongue thrusts and reverse swallows as a result of open bites causing the tongue to protrude between the front teeth during speech and swallowing for a prolonged period of time.

Using a pacifier for too long can have a negative impact on the development of your child's teeth and how their mouth looks. It can cause the top teeth to stick out and the bottom teeth to move inward. It is possible for your child to need braces or other orthodontic treatments in the future if they use a pacifier for too long. Using a pacifier consistently and for a long period of time can change the shape of your child's mouth as well as the position of their teeth and jaws.

Babies and toddlers develop their jaws so that they can accommodate anything they hold inside their mouth on a regular basis, which is why long-term pacifier use can cause issues. According to Luke Matranga, a spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry, any side effects that may result from using a pacifier before at least the age of two - such as misaligned teeth or bone growth problems - are temporary and will resolve themselves within 6 months once the use of pacifiers has been discontinued.

Pacifier Alternatives For Toddlers:

• Soothers. 
• Binkies. 
• Teething Rings. 
• Finger Pops. 
• Bottle Teethers. 
• Finger Puppet. 
• Crib Toys. 
• Chewables.

Head out to our Marketplace to checkout some teethers for your child!

It is very common for parents to not offer their babies pacifiers for fear that it will become a habit to suck on the pacifier for as long as possible. Fortunately, babies are not able to suck on the pacifier for too long. This is not candy or an addiction. It is an important part of the fourth trimester and one of your baby's first steps to independence. According to Dr. Harvey Karp, babies like to suck on dummies because it reminds them of being in the womb. In fact, sucking is one of the five sensations within the womb (the 5 S's) associated with a baby's inbuilt ability to relax.

When your toddler depends on a pacifier all day long, it is best to begin removing it in stages if he is dependent on it. You can begin by taking the pacifier away from your child during the day. After that, take a couple of weeks off from removing the pacifier. Finally, at night and during naptime, you can begin removing your child's pacifier.

Lastly, you can take the pacifier out completely. You can cut a hole in the pacifier so that it no longer provides suction to your child. Cut off the tip of the pacifier or snip a hole in it so that it does not provide suction to your baby. If your child uses the pacifier, as usual, sucking on it will not work as effectively, so she/he won't like it as much and will eventually stop using it.

You may read these interesting articles about babies:

30 Fun Facts About Babies

Top 10 Baby Cues And What They Actually Mean

What To Expect From A Two-Year-Old Baby