Introduction:
The habit of sucking is a natural reflex that develops in babies during the 29th week of gestation (pregnancy). The sucking habits can be of nutritive or non-nutritive type. Nutritive sucking supplies babies with nutrients and includes breast or bottle feeding. Non-nutritive sucking develops naturally in babies to overcome frustration or the need for contact. It includes digit or pacifier sucking. All the babies develop non-nutritive sucking. Other examples of non-nutritive sucking are blanket or toy sucking. The habit of non-nutritive sucking lasts for three years of a child’s life. Persistence of habit beyond this age can cause dental anomalies and defects in facial bone growth. It can ultimately lead to abnormal speech formation in children.
What Is Digit or Pacifier Sucking?
Digit and pacifier sucking are together classified as nonnutritive sucking habits. It is considered a harmless habit. These habits are one of the causative factors for malocclusion development and psychological issues like depression and moodiness. Digit sucking is a common phenomenon in newborns or children. The habit develops due to boredom, hunger, fear, excitement, physical or emotional stress, and unsatisfied sucking needs in infants. The habit of sucking can be reduced with breastfeeding.
Children all over the world develop the habit of digit or pacifier sucking. However, the frequency and duration differ between countries. Most children suck pacifiers for up to 3 years of life. This provides the mouth the ability to re-align before permanent teeth eruption. The habit recedes spontaneously as the child grows and develops an interest in other activities. However, digit sucking can last for 7 to 8 years of a child’s life in some children. The habit of sucking a child’s digit is difficult to abstain from as it may be associated with emotional or psychological factors. The pacifier use can be weaned by taking them away.
What Are the Benefits of Digit or Pacifier Sucking?
Children below three years of life benefit from digit or pacifier sucking. The development of the habit is suggestive of the baby’s ability to cope with emotions. Habituation development can help babies destress and improve their attention span. The babies tend to suck during boredom, anxiety, or distress. This habit enables them to develop a feeling of safety.
What Are the Recommendations for Pacifier Use?
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended using pacifiers until one year. The pacifier is known to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is shared between birth to 1 year of age. Studies suggest that pacifiers can keep the airway open and regulate the normal functioning of the heart and breathing, preventing death. The pacifier is highly indicated for use during bedtime or nap. The habit should not be continued for prolonged periods.
The guidelines for pacifier use are:
-
Avoid coating pacifiers with sugary solutions.
-
The pacifiers must be sanitized and replaced frequently. The pacifiers can be washed with soap and water.
-
The pacifiers must be replaced before being worn out.
-
The infants on breastfeeding are introduced to pacifiers after one month. It can help establish breastfeeding habits in infants.
-
Pacifiers must not be used as a meal replacement or for delaying feeding. The pacifiers must be used when the baby is not hungry.
-
Pacifiers are made of silicone material and are a single unit. Multiple pacifiers must be available for use.
-
Pacifiers with a protective shield wider than the baby’s mouth and ventilation holes are recommended.
-
Pacifiers must not be tied close to babies with string as it can increase the risk of strangulation.
-
The pacifiers must not be forced if the baby is uninterested.
-
Pacifiers are encouraged for bedtime use to prevent SIDS.
What Is the Effect of Pacifiers on Health?
Pacifiers are used in young children to prevent digit-sucking. Children with this habit can develop otitis media (middle ear infection) and gastrointestinal problems. The ear infections are caused by a block in airflow to the eustachian tube during sucking motion. This prevents the middle ear from being open and clean. Adults with habits of pacifier sucking during childhood tend to have low IQ (intelligence quotient) scores. Few studies have suggested the risk of developing morbidity using pacifiers. The causative factor for morbidity may be the development of infantile infection. Children with infantile infections caused by pacifier's experience wheezing, earache, diarrhea, posseting (regurgitation of curdled milk), and colic (crying pattern in babies).
What Is the Effect of Digits or Pacifiers on Dental Issues?
The severity of dental anomalies depends on the duration of the habit, intensity of sucking, and positioning of the thumb or fingers inside the mouth. Tooth erupts into the oral cavity through jaws and overlying mucosa. Continuing these habits during tooth eruption can cause dental anomalies such as:
-
Posterior crossbite (upper and lower teeth do not come together in normal position).
-
Anterior crossbite.
-
Class II molar relationship (forward placed relationship of the upper jaw to lower jaw).
The children develop malocclusion in primary dentition when the sucking habits are prolonged. If the habit is stopped during the early dentition development phase, anterior crossbite shows improvement. However, the posterior crossbite persists or worsens.
Other dental anomalies that develop include failure in the eruption of the upper incisor. If the upper incisor develops, it may be tilted frontwards, giving a 'buck teeth' appearance. Few children develop maxillary constriction.
How to Wean Digit or Pacifier Sucking?
Most children wean from sucking habits during school-going age due to peer pressure. However, the following steps can be followed for children around three years for habit weaning.
-
Talk to the Child: Explaining to the child about possible oral effects in simple language can stop the habit.
-
Remind the Child: Children that want to stop the habit must be constantly reminded about habit weaning. A waterproof bandage around the digits may act as a reminder. Using gloves or a mitten during bedtime may be helpful in weaning.
-
Use of Reward System: Rewarding the child for not sucking digits can help the child to quit the sucking habit.
-
Physically Obstruct Habit: Gentle wrapping of bandages or cloth during bedtime can help some children. In contrast, few children need appliances from dentists to wean the habit.
-
Distraction: The sucking habit developed due to boredom can be overcome by keeping the child’s hand busy.
Conclusion:
The sucking habit is a natural reflex that develops in babies. When children below three years develop digit or pacifier sucking, they get positive health benefits. The habit prevents sudden infant death syndrome in newborn and are a mechanism to cope with emotions in young children. Digit or pacifier sucking has a risk of developing into a long-term habit. It is necessary to timely wean the child from such habits to prevent dental, facial, and mental issues.
