Pacifiers are the key to contentment for many babies and the key to sanity for their families.   Normal pacifier use during the first few years of life doesn’t cause long-term dental problems.  However, prolonged pacifier use might cause a child’s teeth to be misaligned or not come in properly.

The risks of pacifier use begin to outweigh the benefits as your baby gets older.  While most kids stop using pacifiers on their own between ages 2 and 4, others need help breaking the habit.  As children get older it becomes more difficult to break this habit.

Some of the techniques that our patients have utilized with certain success include:
–  Hold a special ceremony to bury or otherwise discard the pacifier
–  Allow their child to trade in his or her pacifier for a special book or toy.
–  Other parents have taken the drastic step of cutting a small hole in the pacifier so that it “stops” working.
–  An interesting approach is to leave the pacifier for Santa to take instead of cookies.
–  Sometimes Dr. Rojas has been successful at explaining the potential impact of prolonged pacifier use on his or her teeth and they have surrended it to her.

Proper toothbrush care is important to your oral health.  A worn toothbrush is less effective in cleaning, the American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if the bristles become frayed. Children’s toothbrushes often need to be replaced more frequently.

Some common-sense things that the American Dental Association recommends to ensure your child’s toothbrush remains effective:

• Don’t share toothbrushes.
• Thoroughly rinse the toothbrush with tap water after use to remove any toothpaste and debris.
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position if possible and allow it to air-dry.
• When storing more than one brush, keep them separated so that germs are not transferred from one brush to another.
• Don’t routinely cover or store toothbrushes in closed containers. A moist environment helps the growth of most germs.

Children may find that brushing with a powered toothbrush is fun which will ensure they use it twice a day to thoroughly clean all the surfaces of your teeth. Dr. Rojas does not have a preference, both manual and powered toothbrushes can effectively and thoroughly clean your teeth as long as they are used.