Tuesday Tips for Ending the Pacifier Habit

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

 

For years, pacifiers have been key in helping to calm and soothe fussy babies. However due to the risk of orthodontic problems, the AAPD recommends weaning a child from pacifier use by age 3. Frequent use beyond this age can affect the way a child’s teeth bite together as well as affect the growth of their jaw.

While some parents swear by cold turkey, others have gradually weaned their children off their pacifiers. If cold turkey doesn’t work in your household, take a look at some of the below tips and tricks to help your little one give up the Binky for good:

Offer an alternative. Try and identify which situations set off the need for the pacifier. Once any triggers have been identified (tired, anxious, bored, etc), be ready to replace it with comfort and reassurance. It may be helpful to replace the Binky with a stuffed toy or blanket.

Get creative. Come up with other games or methods to ditch the pacifier. Take your child to a store and have them bring their Binky so they can choose a new toy to ‘trade’ it in for. Or similar to the tooth fairy, introduce a Binky fairy to your household.

Consider the timing. It’s important to make sure the timing is right. Try not to remove the pacifier during any major life changes or transitions that could put further stress on the process. Once you’ve decided the time is right, make sure everyone in your child’s life is on board.

Ask your pediatric dentist. The dentists here at Adelberg Montalvan are fully equipped to handle your little one’s needs - including assisting in encouraging children to stop a sucking habit.

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

 

5 Bad Habits for Your Teeth

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

Brushing and flossing your teeth daily are important habits to maintain for good dental health. But what about those daily habits that can be damaging to your teeth? Keep your child’s tiny teeth healthy and make sure they avoid these harmful habits:  

1. Chewing on ice: While perhaps refreshing, the cold temperature and hardness of the cubes can cause some serious damage to your teeth. Chomping on ice can weaken tooth enamel, leading you to crack or chip a tooth! 
2. Drinking soda: The acidity of soda is corrosive to tooth enamel and sipping on it for long periods of time is like giving your teeth an acid bath! Work on eliminating soda from daily consumption. 
3. Popcorn: A delicious movie time snack that is notorious for getting stuck in the crevices of your teeth, encouraging the growth of bacteria. Not only that, but biting on kernels can lead to tooth fractures.  
4. Using them as a tool: Opening a bag of chips, unscrewing bottle tops that get stuck, even holding objects in your mouth (like a pen) are bad habits for your teeth! Your teeth are not a tool, they are there to help chew food and speak properly.  
5. Nail biting: It’s not only bad for your hands but it can wreak havoc on teeth as well! Regularly biting your nails can cause your teeth to move out of place and potentially cause tooth enamel to splinter.

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

#TuesdayTips – Helping Children Break Oral Habits

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

  

Oral habits, like non-nutritive sucking and teeth grinding, are common in young children, and unfortunately can cause more harm than good if they aren’t stopped at the proper time.

Non-nutritive sucking (includes sucking on a thumb, hand pacifier, toys, blankets, or other non food items) helps comfort children when they are feeling tired, upset, or nervous. Children often end non-nutritive sucking between the ages of 2 and 4, those who use pacifiers stop earlier than those who suck on their thumbs. Should the sucking continue, it may change the shape of the child’s mouth and teeth which opens the door to potential speech and bite problems.

It’s important to help your child break the sucking habit, some ways include using reminders like putting a bandage on your child’s thumb or have them wear a mitten or sock at night. You may also choose to give your child something to track small successes; add a gold star to the calendar each day the child doesn’t suck. After a certain amount of time, the child gets a reward. If you still find yourself having problems, you can always discuss with any of our staff during your next dental visit for other strategies to help break this tricky habit.

Why children grind their teeth on the other hand isn’t always clear. Sometimes it’s due to stress, teething pain, or just because the top and bottom teeth don’t line up properly. And while we know teeth grinding typically ends by 7 years of age once the permanent molars erupt, sometimes it doesn’t always stop over time.  If you are concerned that your child’s teeth grinding is serious, schedule an appointment with us. We’ll evaluate if their habit has caused any major problems and may discuss the option of a custom fit mouth guard to wear at night.

If you have more questions or concerns with your child's oral habits - schedule an appointment at any of our 3 locations. We'll evaluate the situation and discuss solutions to ensure your child is paving the way towards excellent oral health!