Reflo Smart Cup review by Orthodontic Mom - dentist Kamila Wasiluk from the Warsaw L'experta clinic.
For the proper development of the child's chewing organ, and thus also its occlusion, it is especially important to take care of the correct oral cavity posture from the earliest months by introducing correct activities and unteaching unhealthy habits. You can read about the factors which contribute to the incorrect development of occlusion on my blog at https://mamaortodonta.pl/dlaczego-moje-dziecko-ma-krzywe-zeby/.
You will say, all right, but what does the Reflo cup have to do with this? Actually, a lot! This is because correct swallowing is also one of the factors for good bite development. It is possible to swallow incorrectly. The tongue is then positioned between the teeth instead of on the palate. In addition, the cheek and chin muscles become unnecessarily active and put pressure on the facial bones. The act of swallowing should not involve these muscles, but only the tongue, which should press against the palate.
Drinking from a bottle with a teat or straw contributes to so-called infantile swallowing, which the child should grow out of by early preschool age at the latest. Drinking from a traditional open cup, on the other hand, trains the chewing muscles and encourages learning to swallow correctly with the tongue on the palate. The Reflo cup makes this possible!
From an orthodontic point of view, it is advisable to learn to drink from a normal cup as early as the child can sit stably. Then there is less risk of choking. This therefore takes place in the second half of the child's life. It is advisable, however, to stop drinking from any bottle with a teat, tube,wor spout after your baby's first birthday at the latest.
Of course, to be safe, the child must learn to drink and swallow under the supervision of a parent. The Reflo cup, on the other hand, with its spill-proof cap makes this learning curve even easier and reduces the risk of choking. The toddler is therefore safer and can feel comfortable because he is not exposed to the constant spilling of the drink but has the chance to learn to swallow correctly.
As an orthodontist who works with children daily, they can tell you that the Reflo cup supports the correct bite development of toddlers.
What may also be important for parents is that this type of vessel, by activating the muscles of the chewing organ to work properly, also has a positive effect on the development of speech and, in fact, the entire craniofacial development.