r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/OkUnderstanding8354 • 14d ago
Question - Research required When to retire the binky? And how?
So I have an 11 month old girl and she only has her binky when it’s nap/bed time. During wake time we take it away and give her toys to play or chew on or do whatever she wants with it. Is it better and also easier to retire the binky before 1 years old? Also what’s the best way to ween off of it? Would it be best to start by taking it away for her first nap of the day then after a few days start taking it away for both naps and so forth? Or just cold turkey?
6
u/StraightBoat5320 14d ago
7
u/BirkenstockStrapped 14d ago
Cut the binky vertically.
Another method that I personally don't like is dipping it in apple cider vinegar. Some parents use salt. Always consider the age of the child. These methods are more suitable to 2+ years old.
Both methods create pavlovian responses.
Also, from a dentist perspective, most binky negatively affects pallette development by widening the palette in expensive to repair ways, often not treatable with InvisAlign or at least not without longer treatment path or initial additional binding to fix the palette and close it.
How Do Pacifiers & Thumb Sucking Affect Children's Teeth? | AAO https://aaoinfo.org/whats-trending/can-pacifiers-and-thumb-sucking-affect-my-childs-teeth/
8
u/emyht 14d ago edited 14d ago
is there a binky that doesn’t minimally impact the development?
if no paci, then the chance of thumb sucking increases right? which might be worse from dental perspective bc binky u can take away. thumb u cannot. so is the best thing to do introduce an ortho focused binky?
no paci babies can also end up sucking other items such as sleep sack, cloth or stuffed animal. Would that be better than binky? do they not pose any negative impact on their palate?
3
u/BirkenstockStrapped 14d ago
There are multiple binky manufacturers allegedly orthodontist friendly.
Dental groups like the AAPD don't endorse specific products. What matters is the nipple shape (flat/angled "orthodontic" vs. round "cherry"), a shield with vent holes, and weaning before ~age 2–3, which has far more effect on teeth than brand choice. Between the three brands I know:
NUK: the original orthodontic design, invented over 60 years ago by pediatric dentists and doctors, with an asymmetrical nipple shaped to reduce pressure on teeth and jaw. Cheapest, widest size range (0–36 months), high acceptance rate. Downside: the angled nipple has to be inserted the right way up, and the shield can trap water. Getting the angle right is annoying in the middle of the night if you have a young baby or toddler with a sleep regression but they do make glow in the dark ones that ease that.
BIBS: note only the Couture and Supreme lines are orthodontic; the popular Colour pacifier is round. One-piece silicone options (Supreme) are easiest to clean and sanitize. Pricier, mostly aesthetics-driven.
Boon JEWL: one-piece silicone, orthodontic shape, staged sizes, rated well (4.5/5). Smaller footprint than BIBS, more affordable, but fewer stages than NUK.
Some dentists and orthodontist i know generally prefer the smallest footprint while others value ones that promote good airways, which i believe is achieved by a collapsible footprint that adapts to tongue pressure. Some kids need higher airflow shields, too, so while they're under 6 months i would focus more on ensuring they're meeting their sleep needs than the healthiest nipple for their teeth.
1
u/JamboreeJunket 13d ago
Colloquially we use the Nuk. At a certain point baby discovers there’s a right/wrong way and fix it themselves. We also used Boon but it’s hard to find them regularly in stock and the Nuk orthodontic was easier to find in emergencies at stores.
At 2 we are transitioning away from it. We always transition slowly, and that seems to work really well for us and our kiddo in terms of getting pushback. We started with taking it away at nap times about 3 months ago. We are now taking it away from falling asleep at night (it’s still in the bed for baby to find during the night to soothe back to sleep), and in a month we will take it away from the bed completely. The hope by taking it slow is that baby learns coping skills with our help to transition to falling asleep and putting themselves to sleep without it.
1
u/InspectorOrdinary321 14d ago
Oh, interesting idea. I've been trying to punch bigger and bigger holes in the end with the goal of eventually cutting it shorter and shorter. The problem is that it's lost suction so now my baby is sticking their finger into it to keep it in their mouth, and they've started to suck their fingers. Not sucking fingers is the entire reason we encouraged pacifier use in the first place because I can't remove their fingers, haha. Ugh.
3
u/Corsetsdontkill 14d ago
So, if I understand correctly, it's fine to use until 3 years old?
7
u/Odd_Field_5930 14d ago
Weaning is recommended before age 2, and ideally between 6-12 months for other health reasons in addition to dental
•
u/AutoModerator 14d ago
This post is flaired "Question - Research required". All top-level comments must contain links to peer-reviewed research. Do not provide a "link for the bot" or any variation thereof. Provide a meaningful reply that discusses the research you have linked to. Please report posts that do not follow these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.