It turns out if you want to protect your children from developing allergies, you should put their pacifier in your mouth before handing it over to your little ones.
Grossed out? Yeah, me too.
Even though it sounds unsanitary, according to a study developed by Swedish researchers, children whose parents sucked on their pacifiers to clean them, were less likely to develop asthma, eczema and sensitivity to allergens than to those who did not clean the pacifiers that way.
The findings appear in The Journal “Pediatrics.”
Nearly 200 families where one parent had at least one type of allergy were studied and 184 babies were followed until they were 18 months old. Out of that amount, about 175 babies were followed until they were 36 months old.
Those who conducted the study say that the transfer of oral bacteria from adults to infants appeared to help train the immune system to ignore germs that don’t pose a threat.
I’m with the critics on this one, they said further research is needed to confirm these results. I will most definitely NOT be cleaning my son’s pacifier this way.
Most experts will say if your baby’s pacifier falls on the floor, you should run it under hot water. And pacifiers should be washed at least once a day with hot water and soap.
I think I’ll stick with the old fashioned way of sanitizing.
Does your child use a pacifier? If so, would you ever spit clean it in a pinch?
Can’t say I’ve never done it, but it does make me cringe and I say a little prayer before I hand it back to my baby. lol
I’ve got to admit I have one this in a pinch… As in the pacifier fell on the floor while we were out somewhere with no access o water…I wiped it on my clothes then sucked on it before I gave it back to the baby. I figured my body was better a ke to deal with whatever was on he pacifier! 😉
My kids never took to pacifiers either. I could see in theory how this could make sense but don’t know if it will ever overcompensate for the “ick” factor.
Well that’s interesting. I was never one to go super crazy over sanitizing because I wanted my kids to develop a good immune system, but that’s a bit gross.
I just read about this last night. Interesting, yes. G never took a paci, her choice, not mine. I have seen other moms with them in their mouth on occasion so I guess they were cleaning them? I think I’d need to read more research to really be sold on the idea.
Very interesting, if not somewhat entirely grossly interesting. As a Grandma, I’ve been around a lot of moms and babes, and I’ve seen this pacifier-cleaning trick more times than I can count (never by me!)… but I’ll wait for more research before I offer my recommendation! Thanks for sharing!
No I would not do it from a dental or personal level! It kind of grosses me out but that is me:)
You are so right! I’m grossed out too.