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Parenting

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Original poster

Dentist told us to ditch the dummy

62 replies

redfox14 · 08/07/2025 19:42

Took my 2.5 year old to the dentist today and they’ve said her front two teeth are starting to protrude and most likely due to having a dummy at night. She does only have it for sleep and we don’t let her have it through the day. We have tried to get rid of it twice already and both times she just hasn’t settled at night without it, she usually goes straight to sleep but without the dummy she’s very upset and crying and asking for it.

We have already tried posting it to the dummy fairy (who had to return it!), giving it to the baby of a friend, and both times said she could have a present if she could go to bed without her dummy. Sadly these obviously haven’t worked!

Does anyone have any tips for helping to get rid of it? The dentist said the sooner we can get rid the better.

OP posts:

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Irritatediron · 08/07/2025 22:42

This is on you guys. You've chosen the easier option as letting her keep it allows you to sleep/ relax in the evenings. Sorry OP but its gonna be hard for a few days and you all need to just get through it. If braces are avoidable then do everything in your power to avoid them !!! (My train tracks were painful and caused other teeth issues)

Mrsmouse71 · 08/07/2025 22:42

Pop it, they don’t feel the same inside their mouth. My dd carried hers round for a couple of days but stopped using it

PaxAeterna · 09/07/2025 02:12

The dentist explained to be that it could change the whole shape of their soft palette. So I was very determined to get rid. That was my youngest who was an addict. I had good luck by piercing it and then cutting it slowly down: called the bye bye Binkie method I think. But just hold strong and believe in the end goal.

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Jumpthewaves · 09/07/2025 03:43

It shouldn't have returned! You need to take it away, she will of course start sleeping once she is used to it. It's the same when potty training, you have to go through the difficult bit and not give up as it only elongates the process.

Plinketyplonks · 09/07/2025 05:43

You have to be strong. I put ours in the outside bin and that was that. After a couple of days she was over it. Just don’t replace the dummy with some new crutch like rocking or patting (unless you don’t mind doing that for time to come of course). A friend cut a tiny bit from the tip, next day half cut off, next day two thirds cut off. Child abandoned it.

BabyCatFace · 09/07/2025 05:53

They all have an unsettled couple of nights sleep when you take the dummy away but you've kind of fucked it by giving it back twice! You have to take it and just get through the difficult nights. If you're waiting for her to give it up herself you will be waiting a long time!

BabyCatFace · 09/07/2025 05:55

Goinggreymammy · 08/07/2025 21:59

Not a dentist. But surprised he/she said that. Do their teeth not move about anyway when they fall out?
I had a soother at age 3 or maybe older, I can remember my mother repairing it (no H&S back then). My father told me my teeth would grow outwards like a birds beak if I didn't stop. I was horrified. Really upset. As you see I still remember it clearly. So be careful what you say.
My Dd1 spent ages giving up her soother. Only had it for sleep. There was a box by her bed, lots of nights she'd say "ill put them in the box tonight" but then I'd go up later and she'd be asleep with one. She eventually gave up with no drama when she was ready. Probably around 2.5.
My DS gave up, started again during a horrible illness, gave up again, to be honest I think if they need it for comfort give it to them.
DD2 was obsessed. Needed 3 to sleep. One in each fist, to rub her nose with, and one in her mouth. I despaired. But I can't actually remember her giving it up in the end (third child syndrome!).
So the moral of my story is they give it up when they are ready, and plenty of children have braces that never used soothers. You haven't messed up forever by giving it back. It will happen.
Oh, and despite my father's scaremongering, my teeth are very straight, I used to get complimented on them a.lot.

It's not just the teeth it can change the shape of the palate. I've seen a couple of kids who've had dummies way too long and their upper palate is shaped around the dummy.

FrenchandSaunders · 09/07/2025 06:00

Are you going on holiday soon? We told our dummy obsessed DD that dummies weren’t allowed on the plane/in Spain (or wherever) …. I hid one in our luggage just in case as we were sharing a villa with friends and I couldn’t keep them awake half the night. DD didn’t mention it once.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 09/07/2025 06:01

Of course she is going to cry when you take it away but you have to push through. Pick a weekend where you have no plans so doesn't matter if everyone is tired and do dummy fairy again, although may be harder now as you've already caved and given it back 🤦 should only take a few nights Max for them to get used to it. Replace with a new comforter like a toy

IpsyUpsyDaisyDoos · 09/07/2025 06:29

Chucked ours, two nights of crying for it til she fell asleep (it was hard, broke my heart) but then she was fine. Asked for it once maybe two months later, told her it was gone, she had a sniffle and then went to bed.

Sadly, sometimes you just have to let them have the big, sad, feelings so they'll get over it.

Original poster

redfox14 · 09/07/2025 07:11

Thank you for all your suggestions everyone. We put them in the bin and kept asking her “what did the dentist say?” And she said “no more dummy” so she is definitely more understanding than when we last tried to get rid of it around when she turned 2. I think previously she just hasn’t really understood.

She was very tearful and kept asking for it at bedtime, it took about an hour and a half to fall asleep. And then had quite a disturbed night. I was planning on giving her lots of praise this morning for going without it but she hasn’t actually mentioned it since waking up! So hopefully she will adjust to it and tonight might go more smoothly.

Thanks again everyone!

OP posts:

244milesnorth · 09/07/2025 07:25

2.5 is far too old for a dummy. Say she’s a big girl now and doesn’t need it and just don’t give in. A local farm to me has a donation “bin” where it says they can be donated to the piglets (of course they aren’t!) but it encourages the kids to give them up

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