Are Teething Rings And Pacifiers Bad For Baby?

Whether one refers to them as teething rings,Pacifiers are a controversial subject. For years
pacifiers, dummies or binkies, many new parents feeldentists were adverse to the use of pacifiers and
anxious about letting their child suck on one. Manyteething rings, pointing out the very real problems
worry that giving their teething infant a teething ringcaused by those that were first dipped in sugar.
will later bring about teeth problems, or oral fixationsMany dentists were also concerned that persistent
when they grow up, or being dependent on ansucking on a pacifier over a long period of time could
object to sooth rather than learning to soothresult in the misalignment of secondary teeth in
themselves. But are these concerns justified or arechildren. And many doctors warn that prolonged and
teething rings perfectly safe to give your baby?heavy pacifier use can definitely interfere with
The first recorded use of pacifiers has been foundspeech development in older infants and toddlers.
on Sumerian sandstone tablets, around 3000 yearsHowever, recent studies have suggested that
ago. The Egyptians used coral teething rings and theypacifier use may decrease the risk of SIDS, and in
had a head of Bes inscribed, a god associated withresponse to this the American Academy of Pediatrics
child welfare. In the 1600s white candy sticks wererecently released a statement recommending the use
commonly used as teething rings for their! Gum sticksof pacifiers at naptime and bedtime through the first
and gum rings were also used in the 17th and 18thyear of life (though not until after one month of age
centuries. Wax candles were popular as gum sticks,in breastfeeding infants).
as well as sticks of liquorice dipped in honey.So it would appear that pacifiers are not only safe
The expression: born with a silver spoon in his or herbut, in fact, can be a great benefit.
mouth, comes about because wealthy parents gaveBut many breastfeeding organizations refuse to
their children a cool, silver spoon to help easeaccept this advice, at least for breastfeeding babies.
teething pains. Other items that have been used asThey point out that breastfeeding frequently through
teething rings or pacifiers include, hard bread, wetthe night offers the same sucking/lighter sleep
rags, root vegetables and bagels! The list goes onbenefit that is believed to be responsible for the
and on.reduced risk seen with pacifiers. And, unlike pacifiers,
Of course Nature has already provided the perfectbreastfeeding, also offers nutritional benefits and
baby pacifier: mother's breast. In many cultures,close interaction with another human being rather.
babies are carried everywhere that the mother goesIn conclusion, you should defer the use of pacifiers
and are soothed every time they cry by simply beingfor as long as possible, especially if you're
breast fed. This often continues until the child is 2 orbreastfeeding. If you do use a pacifier, never dip it
3 years old, or even older.anything sweet - not even honey as this can cause
But the breast isn't always the answer for manybotulism. Babies also have a tendency to lose their
mothers and their children. Many mothers can'tpacifier but you should never tie a pacifier around
breastfeed for various reasons; they may haveyour baby's neck, as strangulation is a real possibility.
difficulty in producing enough milk, or a new arrivalClean you child's pacifier after use: wash in soap and
may need mother's milk more than a child that is oldwater; never put the pacifier in your own mouth to
enough to be weaned.clean it. Finally, if you have any concerns, you should
But are teething rings bad for baby?get advice from you doctor.