Dummies bad for teeth?

[jennymac]

My dh has this idea that dummies will ruin our dd's gums and teeth. She suffers badly from colic and though she isn't too fussed on the dummy she will occasionally take it from me if very upset. After hours of crying I find it a relief when she does take it even against dh's wishes. Any views on this? Could he be right?

[intergalacticwerewolf]

I opresume your DD is still v young if she has colic, so I don;t think I will have any great impact at the moment, unless you coat it with sugar or something, which I am sure you don;t

I think the cause the most damage to teeth when they are used well into toddlerhood.

We used a dummy for DS1, as he was very colicky and had reflux, and it soothed him sufficiently so that I could get some peace (he cried non stop all day otherwise) We had got rid of it by the time he was 6 months.

[jennymac]

She is only 6 wks old and seems to be more fond of her fingers than the dummy!

[intergalacticwerewolf]

DS2 is 6 weeks too!

If the dummy gives you relief then use it I say. With a colicky baby, anything that retores even tiny bit of sanity is good in my book.

[rarrie]

Tbh, yes but not as much as sucking a thumb can do. Dummies rarely damage adult teeth as most children have grown out of them by that stage. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the thumb. Obviously having neither is best, but we can't dictate that and if your child is sucky - then I shouldn't worry too much, use a dummy but restrict its use to minimise any damage. My DD only had her dummy for sleeping for example, and most people thought she didn't have one. She talks eloquently now and it has not damaged her teeth at all.

[mymama]

my dd had a dummy and ds1 and ds2 suck their thumbs. Advice from my dentist is that it depends on their "cranial" face shape whether these things will affect teeth/gums. If broader facial shape then teeth etc would possibly be affected, if longer,narrower facial shape then less likely to affect.

Whole other story for people who dip dummies in honey or sugar etc. That will rot the teeth.