Professional Dental Care

                                 for the Whole Family

A lifelong Fort Worth resident, Dr. Gary C. Morton has practiced general dentistry in Fort Worth since 1974.

Dr. Gary C. Morton is an

Active Member of the

American Dental Association

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Dental Hygiene Tips

Baby Pacifiers

Pros and cons

Should you let your infant use a pacifier? According the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), there are positives and negatives to baby pacifiers.

On the positive side, pacifiers provide a source of comfort to infants. Pacifiers can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. Because babies with pacifiers sleep less deeply than those who sleep without pacifiers, they can be aroused from a deep sleep that could result in breathing cessation.

The downside of pacifiers is the effect they can have on growth and development of the teeth and mouth. Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth, and create problems with tooth alignment.

If you give your baby a pacifier, consider these points:

• Restrict pacifier use to when your infant needs to fall asleep.

• Look for a pacifier with ventilation holes in the shield, as they permit air passage. This is important if the pacifier accidentally becomes lodged in the child’s throat.

• Always clean the pacifier before giving it to your child.

• Do not tie the pacifier to a cord around the neck of the child as this may result in unintentional strangulation.

Breaking the pacifier habit
Children should stop using pacifiers by age two. (Up until that age, any alignment problem with the teeth or the developing bone is usually corrected within a six-month period after pacifier use is stopped.)

Breaking the habit is not always easy. Here are a few suggestions for helping your child wean from the pacifier:

• Dip the pacifier in white vinegar.

• Pierce the top of the pacifier or cut it shorter to reduce sucking satisfaction.

• Leave it behind on a trip.

Always throw away a used pacifier; it is not sanitary for another child to use or to save.

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