Dummy use 2.5 year old and dentist

[MooMaa83]

So we've just got back from the dentist and I've been read the riot act about DD2's dummy...unfortunately she was asleep with it in her mouth when we walked in. We have a holiday planned end of May, and was planning on tackling it then by using the dummy fairy. We've only used it this long as DD has been a terrible sleeper from day 1, and is currently going through separation anxiety and a big sleep regression. So I was kinda hoping to make it through this rough patch and through our holiday.

However the dentist said I need to get rid of it today! That I've likely already caused jaw deformity that will cause her a lot of issues for life. The dentist wasn't able ro examine Dd's teeth as she point blank refused. I don't mean to disregard a professional opinion, but wondered if this was a tad OTT. Is this an bit of 'dentist script' so toddlers don't have dummies until age 4, or should I get rid asap? Grateful for opinions of people who have experienced similar. Also any tips on getting rid would be much appreciated!

Dental problems, speech delays, ear infections… get rid.

Dummies decline in effectiveness after the baby is about 6 months old. It’s recommended that you:

• Don’t use a dummy when your child is over 18 months old
• Don’t give your child a dummy during the day or when they could be interacting with other children
• Don’t use a dummy beyond times when your child needs to be comforted
• Don’t use a dummy when your child could be babbling or talking

What you might see Excess dribbling from your child when they’re without their dummy Your child doesn’t attempt to babble and try out sounds themselves (as they’re less likely to copy those around them when they have a dummy in their mouth) Poor speech sounds; you may have difficulty understanding what your child says Your child doesn’t use as many words for their age Stomach and mouth infections Middle ear infections due to the sucking opening the eustachian tube (which links the nose and middle ear) and allowing bacteria from the nose into the middle ear Dental problems such as open bite and cross bite Overdevelopment of the muscles at the front of the mouth compared to those at the back, which may lead to a persistent thrusting of the tongue and further misplacement of the teeth

Yes it’s part of the dentist script. You’ll figure out the time to get rid of it. Work on reducing use in the day and then crack nighttimes with the help of the dummy fairy.

We got rid of it at 3ish, we have a lovely dentist who said she can tell a funny was being used and to try and get rid of it but was understanding. Within 6 months of no dummy the dentist said the teeth have gone back to how they should be. We did cold turkey, took dummy away in Xmas eve and she had presents the next day, one hellish evening and then fine after that - I couldn’t believe how quickly it was forgotten about! Do it on a night that you’re feeling strong and you’ll be fine! Good luck

I'd go cold turkey from today - your holiday is a month away, dummy will be long forgotten by then. It'll be a hard few days, but it will only get harder the longer you leave it. There will always be an upcoming event/illness/period of poor sleep that means it'll be easy to keep putting it off. Without sounding harsh, you need to be the adult and make the decision to protect your daughter's oral health.

If you are only using it as they have always been a bad sleeper why did they have it in the day.

We took DD to the dentist at 2.5 years old and she still used a dummy for sleep time.
He was very understanding and even admitted his own child had a dummy till after 2.
He recommended removing it before she turned 3 because prolonged use after that could cause dental issues.
She did have a slight overbite at that check up but it had rectified itself by the next check up.
We just cut the last dummy and told her it was broken and had to go in the bin.
I was really dreading removing it but she actually adapted really well.
Good luck.

Thanks for replies all. We're going to get rid pronto. For a very strong willed toddler do you think cutting the dummies, or the dummy fairy is the best approach? I also wonder whether she'll grasp the dummy fairy concept just yet, so maybe cutting them and declaring them all broken would be best?

My father was a dentist and was vehemently against any use of dummies. He never used them with me and my siblings and none of us used them with our own DC.

The damage they can cause for many years after use can be very significant. Their use should not be normalised.

Thumb sucking is worse and lasts longer. At least you can take a dummy away.

@MooMaa83 My DC has SEN and attends the Community Dentist, so they're a bit more understanding about things like dummies. We were told ideally they would like it gone by age 6. i wouldn't panic and go crazy strict straight away, work out a way they will work for you and your DC.

They reduce SIDS risk. I agree that their use for older toddlers should not be normalised but for babies on balance they're a good thing.

Please whatever you do, don't just get rid of it. It's a process, you need to mentally and emotionally allow the child time. Let them say goodbye and feel a good sense from that. This ripping things away from children is ridiculous, adult life is hard; why project that onto little ones.

And honestly the nhs dentists mmm. Let's just say in my area they don't even make the bite fit after a filling. Dentistry 101, and insisted I didn't need it. And that can cause jaw issues, resulted in me loosing the tooth from a break. They don't use anesthetic rather allow you to dye of pain. I just don't trust there opinion highly. And yes it's my dentist, maybe others got lucky with better dentists. The standard is low though.

Both are really bad and should be avoided at all costs if possible. The statistics regarding significant dental work required for adolescents and young adults who used dummies and sighed their thumbs vs those who didn’t is stark.

Wow, our dentist was the exact opposite and said that there's no real evidence of long term damage, her own children used dummies, and to help toddler give it up when the time was right and it wouldn't be too traumatic.

My DD uses hers at 3.5y partly because of a particular trauma she was subjected to, so giving it up will be complex and painful. I was really relieved by the dentists words.

Both mine had dummies. Couldn’t get it off my youngest until he was nearly three. Just reduce during the daytime. Use it purely for bedtimes. Then when you do get rid it won’t feel so bad as it will just be for bedtimes. Good luck. Also his teeth were not great but have moved and are very straight now!

If only used for sleep, I really would not be panicking. My eldest (teen) had a dummy for sleep until about 2.5 and she has no dental issues.

Our dentist freaks out every time we see her because apparently I am destroying my children’s teeth by allowing them to eat any carbs or fruit. They should be on meat, cheese, eggs and non-starchy veg only or they will all have rotten teeth. 🙄 Only one of mine has ever had any tooth decay on a single tooth. I’m not putting them on some meat only diet. I just nod and smile.

I would just plan to take it away soon at a time that’s convenient. It was about 4 days of disrupted sleep and then done. No big deal.

The Dentist is being dramatic. All dummies nowadays are designed so that they don’t make your teeth a funny shape. The shape of them is completely different to 50 years ago, et cetera.

My daughter had it for sleep and went in the car only, we did like you around the same age went on holiday then when we got home said oops we left the dummy abroad and I couldn’t believe it but she never made a fuss. Just said okay.

My DD didn't give up her dummy (strictly only ever used for sleep) until just after she started reception (she's a june baby so she was just 4).

She only ever really had it to fall asleep as it usually fell out once she was properly asleep.

It wasn't a fight I was willing to have and like most other things like potty training etc... she did it when she decided she was ready.

Teeth perfectly fine and it's never been mentioned at any dentist appointment.

I think as long as you're using ortho dummies and they are strictly for sleeping only the risks outlined are limited.

Plus I didn't want her to suck her thumb, I have a cousin who at nearly 40 still does. The dummy was the lesser evil in my eyes.

My DD had reflux when a baby and discovering her thumb at three months was a game changer. Though I hate dummies I did resort to them at one point but she refused. The dentist did tell her to stop and she did reduce her thumb sucking with encouragement from me (and didn’t do it in public much at all anyway, just when she was tired), and as soon as she started reception she stopped dead as she said she ‘didn’t want them to think she was a baby’ (so I guess another kid called her that). She had gappy teeth when little but they are perfect now.
Perhaps emphasising that’s she’s a big girl now and dummies are for babies? It’s what ended it finally for mine with her thumb (albeit she was older).

I also think it depends on the child. I have identical twins whom will be 3 in June. And both still have a dummy for bedtime, plan to get rid completely before 3rd birthday. Until 2 as well as bedtime they both used their dummy as a comfort for naps, some car journeys and for hospital appointments and alike.

Prior to having the twins I was against dummies - never used for my eldest. But my twins were given a dummy in special care to encourage them to suck whilst they were fed via a tube. And following this they had lots of issues with reflux and feeding etc so the dummies stuck.

Anyway they both had a dentist appointment recently and the dentist thought only 1 of them used a dummy based on their bite/jaw position etc. But they have both had a dummy at the same times and used equally. So guessing it can affect some children more than others.

Honestly just go cold turkey. We did with DD somewhere between 18 months and 2. A couple of nights where getting her to sleep took longer but after that it was like it never existed. I think I was shocked at how she just adjusted. Looking back I think I made a lot of excuses for keeping it, it was never to right time for this or that reason. I didn’t give her enough credit to be honest.

Solidarity OP, I had the same recently at the dentist with my 2.5 year old. Deja vu because we went through this all with my eldest.

I think it's going to be harder this time to cold turkey with DS2 because he is much more stubborn and really fixates on having them so I'm putting it off tbh. But we need to cut it out in the day (in the night it drops out anyway shortly after he's nodded off so he can still have it then).