20 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST Vegan and Herbal.... GRAPEFRUIT + BERGAMOT CURAPROX CURAPROX AUSTRALIA | www.curaprox.com.au | 08 7079 3779 Grapefruit banner.indd 1 8/02/2022 3:39:27 PM Parents are left in the dark Selecting the right dummy does not fall within the responsibility of any medical field, and there are no clear guidelines or protocols. Parents and medical professionals tend to choose whatever dummy the baby will keep in its mouth. The motivation for using a dummy seems to be simply to keep the baby quiet, and not for any other need. However, the consequences of using a dummy can be detrimental. “Most dummies prevent babies from using their tongue in such a way that they develop a healthy upper jaw,” Westermann explained. “When babies cannot use their Do dummies cause oral problems? “Dentists do not know about the connection” The wrong dummy can have a negative impact on a baby’s development. Dummies that restrict normal tongue function may give rise to incorrect swallowing, speech problems and malocclusions. However, a new generation of dummies has been especially designed to support healthy jaw development. Dentist, lecturer and mother of two, Andrea Westermann talks about her success with the Curaprox soother. tongue to exert pressure on the upper palate and expand it, this results in malocclusions such as an anterior open bite or a lateral crossbite. Persistent infantile swallowing is not uncommon either. When babies switch to eating solid food around seven months, the swallowing pattern naturally changes. But using the wrong dummy can block this transition. Lastly, learning to speak while still using a dummy can lead to speech problems, which often result in learning difficulties later in life.” “I have noticed that parents cannot find answers to the many questions that they have about dummies. They are bombarded by marketing, fashion trends and advice on varying sizes and supposedly dentistapproved dummies that may not even be healthy. Most health professionals have no idea about the matter either. Dentists do not know about the connection between malocclusions and speech problems. Cases of children needing speech therapy because they have used the wrong dummy are rapidly increasing, but interdisciplinary collaboration between dental professionals and speech therapists is rare. Most children do not get the necessary treatment.” The Curaprox soother – supporting healthy growth “What has always struck me as odd is that midwives and parents use any dummy that ‘sticks’,” Westermann said. “Breastfeeding may need a few weeks’ training before mother and child know what they are doing. However, we just use any dummy that does not fall out of the baby’s mouth. An ideal dummy should teach babies how to use the tongue, jaw and face muscles correctly, so that the jaw and occlusion can develop optimally. This is where the Curaprox soother comes in.” PROFILES
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