{"id":269,"date":"2025-09-09T17:18:48","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T17:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/?p=269"},"modified":"2025-09-26T17:22:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:22:26","slug":"how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/","title":{"rendered":"How Thumb Sucking and Pacifier Use Can Affect Your Child\u2019s Smile"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1-300x203.png\" alt=\"a child smiling and using a pacifier\" class=\"wp-image-270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1-768x519.png 768w, https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1.png 975w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Pacifiers can be a lifesaver for both parents and babies. They help little ones self-soothe, fall asleep more easily, and even provide comfort during stressful moments\u2014and parents benefit by being able to have a few moments of reprieve! That said, while pacifiers (and thumb sucking) are a completely normal part of early childhood, it\u2019s important for parents to know that prolonged use can affect how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/dentistry-for-infants.html\">your child&#8217;s teeth<\/a> and jaws develop. Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking Affect Dental Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The term \u201cpacifier teeth\u201d is often used to describe the dental changes that happen when a pacifier is used beyond the toddler years. Both pacifiers and thumb sucking can apply gentle but consistent pressure to the teeth, jaws, and roof of the mouth, and over time, this can cause dental issues, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>An open bite, which refers to when the front teeth don\u2019t touch when the mouth is closed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An overbite, when the top front teeth stick out further than the bottom teeth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shifts in jaw growth, which can impact how the permanent teeth come in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using Pacifiers the Right Way<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that pacifiers don\u2019t always cause problems\u2014especially when they are used correctly and not for too long. Consider these tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Try to limit your child\u2019s pacifier use after age 2 to only naps and bedtime, gradually weaning them off the habit by age 3.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid dipping the pacifier in anything sweet or sticky; this only further increases the chances of issues like cavities or gum disease as their smile develops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage other comfort habits like snuggling a stuffed animal, sitting in a rocking chair, or any other form of healthy self-soothing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you notice your child\u2019s front teeth not lining up properly, or if they\u2019re still heavily dependent on their pacifier (or thumb sucking habit) past age 3, their dental development may be at risk! An early evaluation from their dentist can ensure that bigger problems are prevented in the future and your child\u2019s smile stays healthy moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our team here at Simply Pediatric Dentistry &amp; Orthodontics has proudly served families in Nashua and the surrounding area for several years, offering a wide range of pediatric dental and orthodontic services for children of all ages under the lead of Dr. Myles Clancy and Dr. Sadaf Mostafavian. If you have any questions about the blog or you\u2019d like to get in touch with our team to set up an appointment for your child, please reach out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/contact.html\">online<\/a> or call today for more information or assistance. <strong>Telephone: (603) 880-5002.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pacifiers can be a lifesaver for both parents and babies. They help little ones self-soothe, fall asleep more easily, and even provide comfort during stressful moments\u2014and parents benefit by being able to have a few moments of reprieve! That said, while pacifiers (and thumb sucking) are a completely normal part of early childhood, it\u2019s important [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Thumb Pacifier Use Affects Dental Development | Simply Pediatric Dentistry &amp; Orthodontics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Although it may surprise you, prolonged pacifier use and thumb sucking can actually spell bad news for your child\u2019s developing smile.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Thumb Pacifier Use Affects Dental Development | Simply Pediatric Dentistry &amp; Orthodontics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Although it may surprise you, prolonged pacifier use and thumb sucking can actually spell bad news for your child\u2019s developing smile.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Pediatric &amp; Orthodontics Dentistry Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-09T17:18:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-26T17:22:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"975\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"659\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"simplynashua\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"simplynashua\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/\",\"name\":\"How Thumb Pacifier Use Affects Dental Development | Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1-300x203.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-09T17:18:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-26T17:22:26+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c3807fb26283981c0e77189911e53b49\"},\"description\":\"Although it may surprise you, prolonged pacifier use and thumb sucking can actually spell bad news for your child\u2019s developing smile.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1.png\",\"width\":975,\"height\":659},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/09\/how-thumb-sucking-and-pacifier-use-can-affect-your-childs-smile\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How Thumb Sucking and Pacifier Use Can Affect Your Child\u2019s Smile\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthonashua.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Simply Pediatric &amp; 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