The impact of nutritive sucking habits and prolonged pacifier use on dental development and its consequences

Abstract

The stomatognathic system plays a fundamental role in speech, chewing, and breathing and can be influenced by functional stimuli, especially during early childhood. Among these stimuli, the habits of sucking bottles, pacifiers, and finger sucking are among the most harmful, and can cause occlusal and myofunctional disorders in the long term. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the impact of the habit of nutritive sucking and prolonged use of pacifiers on tooth formation and its consequences. The methodology used in the preparation of this article was a literature review. Based on all the proven information, it was possible to conclude that the pacifier was the most common harmful sucking habit in studies, in a wide age range that went from 4 months to 13 years of age, and that a multidisciplinary team, including a dental professional, can be of great value both in guiding parents and guardians and in stopping the habit of sucking a pacifier in children, once it has already been established.