How did you get your kid to ditch the binky?

We actually tried the “binky fairy” thing too, but honestly I’m not sure it worked as smoothly for us. My daughter kept asking where it went and seemed more upset by the “magic” part than just losing it outright. Did anyone else’s kid get more anxious with that approach? I sometimes wonder if just being upfront - like, “hey, you’re a big kid now, no more binky” - would have been less confusing.

We tried the binky fairy too, and honestly, my son was just totally baffled by the idea - like, he didn’t buy it for a second. He actually seemed more stressed by the “fairy” explanation than just being told the pacifier was gone. In the end, being direct worked better for us. We explained that he was getting bigger and didn’t need it anymore, and yeah, there were some tough nights, but less confusion overall. I think some kids just prefer straightforward info over magical stories, even if it seems less gentle.

That’s interesting - my kid was the same way. The whole fairy thing just made her anxious, like she thought someone was sneaking in to take her stuff. We tried just talking about “big kid teeth” and how the binky could hurt them if we kept using it. I think being upfront worked better, especially since our dentist had already mentioned pacifiers could mess with her bite. Did you notice any changes in your son’s teeth or bite after quitting?

We had a similar experience - my son’s front teeth started to angle out a bit after years with the binky. Our dentist said it was pretty typical and might self-correct, which it mostly did after he stopped. It’s wild how much those habits can affect their bite, even at that age.

My daughter’s teeth did the same thing after she got super attached to her binky. I was honestly freaking out a bit - kept picturing her with permanent Bugs Bunny teeth. Our dentist also said it would probably fix itself, but I still worried (because...mom brain). It took a couple months after we finally ditched the binky before her teeth looked more normal. Still can’t believe something that tiny can mess with their bite so much.

Still can’t believe something that tiny can mess with their bite so much.

Right? Pacifiers seem harmless until you see those little front teeth start shifting. I get the “Bugs Bunny” panic - totally normal. Most of the time, once the binky’s gone, things bounce back on their own. Kids’ mouths are pretty resilient, thankfully.

Most of the time, once the binky’s gone, things bounce back on their own. Kids’ mouths are pretty resilient, thankfully.

That’s what our pediatric dentist told us too, and honestly, it was a relief. I remember panicking a bit when my daughter’s front teeth started to look a little...angled? The way she’d hold onto that binky for dear life, you’d think it was her security blanket. But yeah, it’s wild how something so small can have a visible impact.

We actually tried the “binky fairy” thing - left it under her pillow, got a little toy in return. She was skeptical, but after a few rough nights, she adjusted. I was half-expecting her teeth to stay a little off, but within a year, they really did move back. Guess those baby teeth are more flexible than I realized. Still, I do wonder if we should’ve tried to take it away sooner. Some of my friends’ kids needed more dental follow-up because the habit stuck around longer.

Do you think the type of pacifier matters? I’ve seen claims that the “orthodontic” ones are less likely to cause shifting, but I’m not sure how much of that is marketing. We just used whatever was around, honestly. Also, did anyone notice their kids switching to thumb-sucking after the binky was gone? That was my other big worry, but luckily she didn’t go down that road.

I guess every kid’s different, but I’m curious if the timing or the way you ditch the binky makes a real difference in how their teeth bounce back. Anyone try a cold turkey approach, or was it more gradual?

I totally get that worry about whether you should’ve ditched the binky earlier - I felt the same way. My son was attached to his, and we did notice some shifting, but his dentist reassured us it would self-correct once he stopped. We used the “binky fairy” too, and it was surprisingly effective (with a few rough nights). As for the orthodontic pacifiers, I’ve heard mixed things... our dentist said they might help a little but not to stress over brand. And yeah, I was bracing for thumb-sucking next, but he never picked it up either. Timing seems to matter less than just eventually stopping the habit - kids’ mouths are pretty amazing at bouncing back.

Timing seems to matter less than just eventually stopping the habit - kids’ mouths are pretty amazing at bouncing back.

Totally agree - kids’ mouths are way more adaptable than we give them credit for. I do think, though, that the longer the binky sticks around, the harder it can be to break the habit (and the more stubborn those little dental shifts get). We waited a bit too long with my oldest and did see a slight overbite, but things corrected on their own after a few months without it. I’m with you on not stressing about brands - orthodontic pacifiers might help a bit, but nothing beats just getting rid of it altogether when you can. The “binky fairy” is genius, by the way... wish I’d thought of that sooner.

I get where you're coming from, but I’ve gotta gently disagree about timing not mattering much. My niece hung onto her pacifier until she was almost 5 (her parents tried everything short of bribing her with a pony). Her teeth didn’t just bounce back - they needed a little help from the orthodontist later. Maybe some kids are dental superheroes, but I wouldn’t bank on it every time.

Funny thing, my younger cousin ditched his binky cold turkey at 2 and his teeth looked perfect. Maybe it’s luck of the draw, but I still think earlier is better if you can swing it. And yeah, the binky fairy is adorable, but my family went with the “oops, it’s lost forever” approach. Not as magical, but effective.

Maybe it’s luck of the draw, but I still think earlier is better if you can swing it.

I get what you’re saying, but honestly, I’ve seen kids hang onto a binky longer and end up with zero dental issues. My nephew was obsessed with his until almost 4, and his dentist wasn’t worried at all - said it’s more about how they suck on it than just the age. I do think genetics play a bigger part than people realize. “Oops, it’s lost forever” would not have worked for my kid though... she found every hidden stash like a bloodhound.

it’s more about how they suck on it than just the age

That’s spot on. I’ve seen some kids with a pretty intense “binky habit” who still had no bite changes, while others developed noticeable open bites really early. Genetics, oral muscle tone, and even how much time they actually spend with the pacifier all play into it. Age is just one piece of the puzzle.

I totally relate to this. My youngest was glued to her binky, and honestly, I thought we’d be heading straight for braces by kindergarten. She sucked on it sideways (no idea why), and her bite started getting this little gap. My older son, on the other hand, kept his pacifier until almost three but never had any changes at all.

We tried a bunch of different things - cutting the tip, trading it for a new toy, even leaving it “for the binky fairy.” What finally worked was just letting her keep it only at bedtime until she sort of lost interest herself. It took way longer than I expected, but her bite actually shifted back after a few months without it. I was surprised the change wasn’t permanent.

Did anyone notice their kid’s teeth go back to normal after dropping the pacifier? Or did you need to get help from an orthodontist later?

My daughter’s teeth didn’t shift back on their own, honestly. The gap stayed until her adult teeth came in, and by then our dentist said we’d probably need braces down the line. I wish we’d cut out the binky sooner, but every kid’s different, I guess. Did your dentist ever seem worried or just say to wait and see?

Our dentist was actually pretty chill about it, which honestly surprised me. I kept asking if we needed to worry and she’d just say, “Let’s keep an eye on it.” I swear, I was more stressed than my kid. The gap between his front teeth hung around for ages, and I was convinced it was permanent. But eventually, once his adult teeth started coming in, things shifted a bit - though not totally perfect. We might be looking at braces too, but the dentist still isn’t making a big deal out of it.

Did your dentist ever mention how long to wait before getting worried? Ours kept saying every kid’s mouth grows at its own pace. Sometimes I wonder if that’s just code for “We’ll see if you win the dental lottery or not.” Honestly, I felt a little guilty about letting him keep the binky as long as we did, but taking it away was... well, let’s just say nobody in our house slept for about a week.

I’ve heard mixed things from other parents - some said their kids’ teeth fixed themselves, others needed braces regardless. Makes me feel like it’s just one of those parenting things where you can’t really win either way. Did you notice any changes after your daughter stopped the binky, or did the gap just stick around until her adult teeth came in? Sometimes I wonder if all that stress over pacifiers is worth it in the end.

- Totally relate to the stress - felt the same when my son wouldn’t give up the pacifier.
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“Ours kept saying every kid’s mouth grows at its own pace. Sometimes I wonder if that’s just code for ‘We’ll see if you win the dental lottery or not.’”

“Ours kept saying every kid’s mouth grows at its own pace. Sometimes I wonder if that’s just code for ‘We’ll see if you win the dental lottery or not.’”

That “dental lottery” line hits home. We tried the gradual approach - cutting the pacifier tip a little at a time - but it didn’t really work. Eventually, we just went cold turkey. There were a few rough nights, but it was over quicker than I expected. Did anyone notice if quitting earlier versus later made any real difference in their kid’s teeth? Our dentist said not to stress, but I still worry a bit.

We did the same - tried to ease off, but cold turkey ended up being the ticket. Our youngest quit around age two, and honestly, her teeth look about the same as her older brother’s did when he quit later. I think genetics just play a bigger part than we want to admit...

That’s interesting - my oldest clung to the binky until almost three, and my youngest didn’t seem to care past 18 months. We tried the “binky fairy” trick, but honestly, it was more drama than results. I’ve noticed their teeth looked pretty similar regardless of when they quit, too. Maybe we overthink the timing a bit? Genetics really do seem to have the final say sometimes... I guess at some point, you just pick your battles.

Totally get what you mean about picking your battles. I remember stressing way too much about the “right time” to ditch the pacifier with my daughter. We tried the binky fairy, too - she was excited for about five minutes, then it was tears and negotiations for days. Eventually, she just lost interest on her own a few months later, and honestly, her teeth look fine (and she’s almost seven now).

I do think we sometimes forget how much is out of our control - genetics, personality, even timing. My dentist told me as long as you’re not still using it by kindergarten, you’re probably fine. Sometimes it helps to hear that from someone else who’s been there... You did what worked for your kids and that’s really all anyone can do. If they’re happy and healthy, I say you’re winning.