Editing Pacifier (section)

==Drawbacks==
[[Image:BabySuckingFingers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Infants may use a pacifier, their fingers or thumb to soothe themselves.]]

There are negative effects from using a pacifier during [[breastfeeding]] for healthy babies. The AAP suggests avoiding pacifiers for the first month. Introducing a pacifier can lead to the infant ineffectively sucking at the breast and causing "[[nipple confusion]]". Babies will take their suck out on the pacifier instead of nursing or comfort nursing at the breast which is good for the mother's supply.  Evidence in premature infants or infants that are not healthy is lacking but shows that it can have benefits.<ref name=Jaafar2016>{{Cite journal|last1=Jaafar|first1=Sharifah Halimah|last2=Ho|first2=Jacqueline J.|last3=Jahanfar|first3=Shayesteh|last4=Angolkar|first4=Mubashir|date=2016-08-30|title=Effect of restricted pacifier use in breastfeeding term infants for increasing duration of breastfeeding|journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|volume=2016 |issue=8|pages=CD007202|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD007202.pub4|issn=1469-493X|pmid=27572944|pmc=8520760 }}</ref> It may have clinical benefits for preterm babies, such as helping them progress from tube to bottle feeding.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Foster|first1=Jann P.|last2=Psaila|first2=Kim|last3=Patterson|first3=Tiffany|date=2016-10-04|title=Non-nutritive sucking for increasing physiologic stability and nutrition in preterm infants|journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|volume=10|issue=3 |pages=CD001071|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD001071.pub3|issn=1469-493X|pmid=27699765|pmc=6458048}}</ref>

Infants who use pacifiers may have more ear infections ([[otitis media]]).<ref name="Nelson 690–9">{{cite journal|last=Nelson|first=AM|title=A comprehensive review of evidence and current recommendations related to pacifier usage.|journal=Journal of Pediatric Nursing|date=December 2012|volume=27|issue=6|pages=690–9|pmid=22342261|doi=10.1016/j.pedn.2012.01.004}}</ref> The effectiveness of avoiding the use of a pacifier to prevent ear infections is not known.<ref>{{cite web|last=Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health (IQWiG)|title=Middle ear infections: prevention|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0016291/|publisher=Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health (IQWiG)|access-date=4 June 2013}}</ref>

Although it is commonly believed that using a pacifier will lead to dental problems, it does not appear to lead to long-term damage if used for less than around three years.<ref name="Nelson 690–9"/> However, prolonged use of a pacifier or other non-nutritive sucking habit (such as finger or blanket sucking) has been found to lead to [[malocclusion]] of the teeth, that is teeth sticking out or not meeting properly when they bite together.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Vázquez-Nava F, Quezada-Castillo JA, Oviedo-Treviño S, etal | year = 2006 | title = Association between allergic rhinitis, bottle feeding, non-nutritive sucking habits, and malocclusion in the primary dentition | journal = Archives of Disease in Childhood | volume = 91 | issue = 10| pages = 836–840 | doi = 10.1136/adc.2005.088484| pmid = 16769710 | pmc = 2066013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Paroo Mistry |author2=Moles David R |author3=O'Neill Julian |author4=Noar Joseph | year = 2010 | title = The occlusal effects of digit sucking habits amongst school children in Northamptonshire (UK) | journal = Journal of Orthodontics | volume = 37 | issue = 2| pages = 87–92 | doi = 10.1179/14653121042939 |pmid=20567031 |s2cid=5519168 }}</ref>  This is a common problem and the dental ([[orthodontic]]) treatment to correct it can take a long time and can be expensive.  A Cochrane Review of the evidence found that [[orthodontic braces]] or [[psychological intervention]] (such as positive or negative reinforcement) were effective in helping children stop sucking habits where that was necessary.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Borrie FRP, Bearn DR, Innes NPT, Iheozor-Ejiofor Z | year = 2015| title = Interventions for the cessation of non-nutritive sucking habits in children | journal = Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2021| issue = 3| pages = CD008694| doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD008694.pub2 |pmc=8482062  | pmid = 25825863}}</ref> An orthodontic brace that used a palatal crib design seems to have been more effective than a palatal arch design.{{clarify|reason=What do these terms mean? Citing a reliable source for this information would also be nice.|date=July 2022}}

There appears to be no strong evidence that using a pacifier delays speech development by preventing babies from practicing their speaking skills.<ref name="Nelson 690–9"/>