I get what you mean about kids bouncing back, but I’d be a little cautious about the “made of rubber” thing.
My nephew’s teeth shifted quite a bit after long-term binky use, and it actually took a couple years (and some dental work) for things to straighten out. Sometimes they really do just go back to normal, but not always—guess it depends on the kid. I do think catching it early makes a difference though.Her teeth looked weird for a bit, but all’s well now.
That’s interesting to hear about your nephew. I’ve actually been wondering if there’s a “right” age to step in about the binky, or if it’s just luck of the draw with how their teeth turn out. My daughter’s dentist mentioned that some shifting is normal and can correct itself, but then again, I know a friend’s little boy needed braces later on, and she always wondered if the pacifier was the reason.
I guess my main worry is missing that window where it’s still easy to change habits. We’re trying to limit binky time to just naps and bedtime, but honestly, sometimes it feels like picking battles... especially on tough days. I appreciate hearing that catching it early can help. Makes me feel a little less anxious about not being “perfect” with it every single day.
It really does seem like every kid is different, though. Some bounce back, others need some extra help. Thanks for sharing—it helps to know I’m not the only one second-guessing all this.
I guess my main worry is missing that window where it’s still easy to change habits. We’re trying to limit binky time to just naps and bedtime, but honestly, sometimes it feels like picking battles... especially on tough days.
I totally get the worry about missing that “window.” Honestly, though, I’m not convinced there’s a single magic age for every kid. My own kids ditched the pacifier at different times, and looking back, their teeth turned out fine—even the one who hung onto it longer than the dentist liked. I know there’s a lot of talk about pacifiers messing with teeth, but in my experience (and I’ve had my share of dental work over the years), genetics play a bigger role than we sometimes think. My grandkids—one used a binky for ages, the other never wanted one—both needed braces anyway, just like their parents did.
Limiting to naps and bedtime is already a win in my book. Some days you do what you have to do. If anything, I’d say don’t stress so much about being “perfect.” It’s easy to second-guess every little thing, but honestly, most kids’ teeth settle out just fine, especially if you keep up with regular checkups.
I hear you on the “window” thing—it’s so hard to know if you’re doing it “right.” Honestly, I’ve seen families who went cold turkey and others who just let the binky phase out naturally. Both seemed to work out. Did you ever try swapping it for a special toy or blanket? Sometimes that helped my youngest when we were in the thick of it. And yeah, limiting to naps and bedtime is honestly a huge step already... don’t sell yourself short.
We tried the “special blanket” thing, but my daughter just wasn’t that interested—she wanted her binky or nothing. I was honestly too nervous to go cold turkey, so we did the gradual approach, only at naps and bedtime. It took months. I worried she’d never let go. Did anyone else’s kid get super attached to a certain brand? We had to stick with the same one or she’d freak out... made me anxious about running out.
