Dear Patients,

Another of my favorite quotes, “All that is required for evil to triumph is for a few good men to do nothing.” – author unknown

Recently, while traveling I encountered an inordinate number of 3-5 year olds that were still sucking on a pacifier. Although I acknowledge that pacifiers are helpful with soothing some children, that they can help some babies fall asleep, and that they have been shown to possibly lower the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome, I personally feel that they should be used sparingly and their use eliminated by the age of one for the following reasons;

* Pacifier use is clearly associated with significant declines in the duration of full breastfeeding
* Pacifier use has been shown to increase the incidence of middle ear infections by 33%
* Pacifier use can cause children to develop speech and language problems
* The sucking motions on a pacifier cause an unnatural development of certain facial and tongue muscles
* Pacifier use can cause or exacerbate a tongue thrust or neonatal swallowing patterns
* Pacifier use can have a negative effect on facial growth and development of the dental arches

If you would like more information about pacifier use and techniques to terminate the use of pacifiers please contact our office for a complimentary consultation.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,

Michael W. Dagostino, DDS