Scientific study
Scientifically confirmed
Our soother can prevent misaligned teeth
Choosing the right soother is an important decision for many parents. In addition to soothing the baby, dental health also plays a key role. A scientific study by the University of Witten/Herdecke shows that the dentistar Dental-Step can be a great advantage for the healthy development of your child’s teeth.
A study conducted by the University of Witten/Herdecke under the direction of Prof Dr Zimmer has investigated whether the dentisar soother really helps to prevent misaligned teeth.
What was analysed in the study?
The study investigated how different dummies influence dental development in infants. The focus was particularly on the risk of a so-called ‘open bite’. An open bite occurs when the upper and lower incisors do not meet properly, which can lead to problems with chewing and speaking in the long term.
The open bite
Large soothers and teats push the jaw and teeth forwards and push the tongue into the throat. The result is an open bite, often asymmetrical with the lower jaw backwards.
With an open bite, there is no overlap or contact between the upper and lower front teeth, which can lead to difficulties in chewing and biting, mouth breathing and speech disorders such as lisping.
The structure of the study
The study followed a strict scientific design in order to make the results as meaningful as possible. It was a so-called cohort study in which the children were followed from birth over a period of 27 months. The children were randomly assigned to the two dummy groups and an independent control group without a dummy was used as a reference. A blinded examiner assessed the position of the teeth to ensure an objective evaluation.
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Groups: Children who used either the dentistar Dental-Step or a conventional NUK soother. A reference group without a soother was also analysed.
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Objective: To compare the frequency of open bites between the groups.
The results at a glance
The results speak for themselves:
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Only 6.7% of the children who used the dentistar Dental-Step developed an open bite.
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For children with conventional NUK soothers, the rate was 50%. This means that every 2nd child with a conventional soother had an open bite.
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No open bite occurred in the reference group without soothers.
The dentistar Dental-Step therefore reduces the risk of an open bite by 86.6% compared to conventional soothers.
Why is the Dental-Step so effective?
The unique shape of the Dental-Step has been specially developed to support babies’ natural tooth and jaw development:
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Narrow and flat teat shape: Minimises pressure on the palate and teeth. The inwardly curved teat leaves more room for the tongue.
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Dental-Step: Adapts to the natural position of the teeth and reduces pressure on the teeth and jaw.
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Thin bar: Minimises the distance between the upper and lower jaw and counteracts an open bite.
Zimmer, S., Zuralski, H., Bizhang, M., Ostermann, T., & Barthel, C. R. (2016). Anterior Open Bite In 27 Months Old Children after Use of a Novel Pacifier – A Cohort Study. The Journal of clinical pediatric dentistry, 40(4), 328–333.
