The pacifier is one of the most popular items used by babies. With its help, their need to suck can be satisfied.
What is a pacifier?
The pacifier has been used for more than 3000 years. In its early days, the pacifier was still made of rags, which were specially shaped. The pacifier, also called Nuckel, Nucki or Schnulli, is a soother. It consists of a mouthpiece and a shield that prevents the baby from swallowing the pacifier. The pacifier accommodates the child’s natural sucking instinct. Every baby has an innate sucking reflex to suck its mother’s milk. If there is also a need to suck that goes beyond breastfeeding, a pacifier is more suitable for sucking than the thumb. Thumb sucking, for example, carries the risk of major changes in the jaw, which in turn can make orthodontic treatment necessary later on. The pacifier can already be used in the first weeks of life. From the third year of life, however, the child should get out of the habit of using it. The pacifier has been used for more than 3000 years. In its early days, the pacifier was still made of rags, which were specially shaped.
Forms, types and types
Nowadays, pacifiers are offered in different shapes and varieties. So there are, among other things, jaw-friendly pacifiers, which are equipped with a flat suction part. Through these models, the tongue gets more space. The support for the lips is also narrower in this type. There are three different sizes to choose from. Another variant are pacifiers made of natural material such as natural rubber (latex). In this variant, the shield turns out to be just as soft as the teat, which allows it to better adapt to the shape of the mouth. The pacifier teat, which is modeled after a nipple, is considered robust, but becomes porous more quickly. Also among the pacifier shapes is the soft pacifier, which comes in a teardrop shape. The teat is made of silicone and has a smooth and soft surface. However, it is less suitable for children who already have teeth. Thus, something can be chewed off from the silicone faster than from latex. The various shapes also include the universal pacifier. Unlike the orthodontic pacifiers, it does not matter which way it is put in the mouth. It is a soft round teat made of latex, which reminds the child of the mother’s nipple. However, due to the latex material, there may be a risk of allergy. Since tastes are already very different in babies, they ultimately choose their favorite pacifier themselves.
Structure and mode of operation
Composed the pacifier from a mouthpiece of silicone or latex and a shield. With the mouthpiece, it is important to distinguish between two different shapes. These are the cherry shape, which is round, and the variant beveled on the front. The latter has a palate shape that is adapted to the oral cavity. The palate shape was developed in 1949 by the dentist Adolf Müller. The function of the pacifier is primarily to soothe the child. Thus, it supports the baby’s natural sucking instinct, which serves to absorb food. At the same time, however, sucking also has other effects. For example, it stimulates the production of certain hormones that have the property of calming the baby. The sucking effect was called “oral phase” by Siegmund Freud. Sucking allows babies to express their feelings to some extent within the oral phase. For example, babies suck faster and harder when they are upset, which in turn helps to calm them down. The soother’s calming effect is noticeable as soon as it is in the child’s mouth. However, if the pacifier is missing, the child often starts to cry and only calms down again when it has the pacifier back. In principle, however, a pacifier is not suitable as an all-purpose device, for example to suppress the child’s discomfort or hunger. Nor can the pacifier replace the love and attention of the parents. In some children, there is a fundamental aversion to pacifiers anyway, which is probably due to the taste of the material.
Medical and health benefits
The health benefit of the pacifier lies in the calming of the child. Thus, the pacifier promotes the baby’s sleep and digestion.According to studies, there is no need to worry about any adverse effects from the utensil during breastfeeding. However, it is important to clean the pacifier regularly to counteract infections. Modern pacifiers can now even be used for medical purposes. A so-called smart pacifier has been developed that is equipped with sensors and Bluetooth. In this way, the baby’s state of health can be monitored with the help of a smartphone. For example, the special pacifier records and analyzes the child’s body temperature. The connection between the pacifier and the smartphone is established via Bluetooth. The pacifier is in turn equipped with a heat sensor that registers the baby’s temperature. Temperature fluctuations such as fever can be immediately displayed to parents in this way. It is even possible to locate the baby using a tracking function. Whether this is necessary, however, remains to be seen. However, a pacifier also has some disadvantages. These are primarily caused by using the pacifier for too long. Thus, there is a risk of deformation of the jaw geometry, which in turn can result in malocclusions such as an open bite.
