Can a dummy affect how your child's teeth grow?

Many children use a dummy as a form of comfort, especially when it comes to getting off to sleep. But Dr Nigel Carter from the British Dental Health Foundation says:

“If you can, avoid using a dummy and discourage thumb sucking. These can both eventually cause problems with how the teeth grow and develop. And this may need treatment with a brace when the child gets older. If your baby needs a dummy, there are ‘orthodontic’ soothers or dummies that reduce the risk of developmental problems in the future”.

If your child is rather attached to her dummy it is only likely to cause a problem if she uses it very regularly or for long periods of time. The answer is to try to limit the amount of time your child spends using her dummy, wean her off it as early as possible and choose one which is ‘orthodontic’. The longer a child uses a dummy the more likely it is to have an impact on the way the teeth grow.

Can overuse of a dummy cause any other problems?

Research also shows that prolonged use of a dummy can lead to other problems, such as “mouth breathing” This is where children become used to breathing through their mouths instead of their noses. Speech and language difficulties can also be associated with the excessive use of a dummy, as it may limit the full range of movement of the mouth and tongue necessary for forming words and sounds.

Never dip a dummy into anything sugary. This is likely to lead to early tooth decay.

Some experts also say that use of a dummy can introduce more bacteria into a child’s mouth, leading to infection or decay.

Weaning your child off a dummy

Try to wean your child off her dummy as early as you can, particularly if she is using it very regularly or if she seems to be developing any problems with how her teeth are aligned (for example, if her bottom teeth start to jut out further than her top teeth).

If separating your child from her dummy proves an up-hill struggle, you could try suggesting that she leaves it out for the “dummy fairy”, who will reward her with a small present in return for her much loved dummies!