This is a common concern among parents and has a fairly simple response. In general, your pediatrician will recommend that you plan on discontinuing the use of a bottle by age one. There is, of course, a little flexibility with this so that the child can undergo a relatively smooth transition to the use of a sippy-cup.

Every child is different in their need for that warm bottle of instant comfort. It is indeed an amazing cure-all for infant displeasure, but like all addictions, it isn’t easy to stop. Other children will give it up easily, gladly welcoming the new benefits of becoming a toddler. Most child-rearing books, like the “What to Expect” series, will give you tips and tricks of how to wean both the bottle and the pacifier. My biggest advice would be to start sooner rather than later, especially if you have a strong-willed child.

If you are successful in weaning both the pacifier and the bottle around 12 months, then you have no concern that either one will affect the orthodontic relationship of your child’s teeth. If you go much beyond this time frame, then it is possible that you may have some future orthodontic problems. Again, there is leeway with this, and in general we say that most of the permanent effects occur if the child has not completely stopped by age four. Of course I assume that your four year old is not drinking out of a bottle anymore, so I am speaking particularly about the use of a pacifier. If your four year old is still drinking from a bottle, you are way overdue for a crisis intervention!

The other big concern to be aware of is that, the pacifier can also cause trauma to the child’s gums. This can cause painful ulcers but can also cause the gums to recede from the tooth. This can cause many problems including gum damage for the soon erupting permanent tooth, tooth decay of the baby-tooth or painful root exposure. Your child may experience mild to severe sensitivity to hot and cold foods or even just when the air from speaking passes by the area where the gums have receded. Adults experience this too, but generally it is not caused by the use of a pacifier! There are many causes for adults, but the end result is the same resulting in sensitivity, pain or possible loss of the tooth from becoming loose. So again, stop the habit early, as it will be better for everyone!

This answer is very similar to the one above. Let’s face it. We all have a crutch that helps us get through the tough times. Some people rely on faith, others on food and some on other addictions.
So, it should come as no surprise to you that our children have their own little “fixes” to get them through the tough times. One of the biggest of these is thumb-sucking or finger-sucking, with or without the use of a “blankie.” I would never dare ban the coveted “blankie.” In fact, I know several adults who still sleep with theirs! I sucked my thumb as a child, and oh, the relief was amazing! But again, at some point certain addictions have to end before they have damaging consequences.

Generally it is safe to let your kids suck away until age four. Before age four, you may notice the effects of sucking on their front teeth. What you will likely see is that your child’s front teeth are “bucked out” and perfectly fit the offending thumb like a key in a lock. Prior to age four, if the child stops, the teeth will usually drift back into their normal position. After age four, however, the effects become more permanent and may also affect the path of eruption of the permanent teeth and shape of the palate (roof of the mouth). This can result in your child’s permanent teeth also appearing “bucked,” crowded, spaced or some combination of these. And, you guessed it, an expensive trip to the orthodontist!