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Home › Expert Q&A › Health Concerns › Will tooth damage caused by a pacifier correct itself?

Expert Q&A

 

By iParenting Staff
iParenting Staff Experts

I took my 2-year-old son to the dentist for a checkup. He has been using a pacifier for about 18 months. The dentist looked at his closed mouth and only his back teeth touch. There is no contact between his top and bottom front teeth. There is a gap between them the size of his pacifier. I immediately got rid of his "binky." Will this condition repair itself? Is it common?

Why "Break the Binky" Habit?

What you observed is called an anterior (front teeth) open bite. The harmful sucking forces of the pacifier cause abnormal flaring and protrusion of the teeth (Class II malocclusion) and if prolonged after the 2nd birthday, misalignment of the jaws themselves!

This can cause an abnormal growth pattern to begin leading to a crossbite of the back teeth, a narrow upper dental arch stunted by the cheek muscles sucking in. An abnormal swallowing pattern called tongue thrust further perpetuates the uneven growth of the jaws.

To seal the "open bite" to allow swallowing, the tongue "learns" to press between the front teeth so swallowing can occur. The tongue is the strongest muscle in the body (yes, even stronger than the heart), and when swallowing occurs 2000 times each day, an abnormal "thrust" pattern will quickly deform the skeletal growth. A narrow upper arch (crossbite) deprives the room for the tongue to occupy, encouraging open "mouth-breathing" and a downward growth of the lower jaw, causing a long face (Class III malocclusion). If not intercepted, these skeletal growth disharmonies may require extensive orthodontic correction or even jaw surgery in the adolescent years.

Mouth-breathing also compromises oxygen exchange with lower blood oxygen levels than normal nasal breathing. This oxygen deprivation can cause sleep disorders, fatigue and difficulty concentrating in school or focusing at home and can be misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder (ADD). Airway obstruction from large tonsils, adenoid or swollen tissues due to allergies can have these symptoms also.

I recommend any child being considered ADD/ADHD have an otolaryngologist (ear-nose-throat specialist) evaluate their airway before a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD is made or medication initiated. Lower oxygen levels can even cause bedwetting thru anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) inhibition.

Wow, a "mouthful" of far-reaching implications and growth abnormalities caused by something as "seemingly innocent" as prolonged pacifier use.

To avoid these problems, I recommend discontinuing pacifier use between 12 to 18 months. After that, it becomes a potentially harmful habit. Often by eliminating the "binky" by age 2, any observed undesirable effects, such as your child's open bite, may improve through normal muscle function and return to a path of normal growth and development. A reliable way to "break the binky" habit is to eliminate all but one, then shorten the nipple with scissors in four increments over one week.

Your child may hang onto it for security, but it won't harm his/her growing face and teeth any longer.

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