Infant Pacifiers: An Overview

Toward the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the infant pacifier as we know it was introduced. The first latex rubber teat-shaped comforter with its distinctive guard and handle was patented in the United States around 1900.2 Its original purposes were to soothe cranky or colicy babies, pro-mote and continue restful sleep, and reduce the pain of teething. Infants have an intense drive to suck that is separate from the drive to drink. This desire is stronger when the infant is tired, anxious, or uncomfortable. Today’s pacifiers are made of silicone rather than latex for several reasons, including problems with latex allergy,3 the fact that latex surface is conducive to biofilm production and contamination by oral flora,4 and that latex fails to retain its firmness and