First pregnancies usually come with a lot of questions. Motherhood and pregnancy websites are full of forum posts that bring into question one of the biggest debates of all new mothers. “What are the pros and cons of using a pacifier?” The question usually gets hundreds of responses from veteran moms who think they know everything about both sides of the issue. All moms want a little peace every now and then, but in this case the risks outweigh the rewards. Pacifiers should not be given to infants because they increase the risk of poor dental development, increase the risk of disease, and become an emotional comfort habit that can be traumatic to break. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay According to Dr. De-Kun Li, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, "A baby who sleeps on his stomach without a pacifier has a 2.5 times greater risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome )" Li interviewed 497 women, 185 of the women lost their babies to SIDS to reach her conclusion. After Li, multiple studies were conducted that all led to the same conclusion, the only information missing from the studies is how pacifiers actually reduce the risk of SIDS. The risk of SIDS can be greatly reduced by following safe sleep practices, such as having your baby sleep on his back on a flat, firm surface. Although pacifiers are listed in the Sleep Safe campaign brochure, we recommend that you do not attach the pacifier to a string, clothing, blanket or soft toy. The pacifier can therefore become a risk factor for suffocation during sleep. In addition to reducing the risk of SIDS, pediatricians often recommend pacifier use for premature infants admitted to the NICU. Babies born prematurely often lack the ability to breathe, suck, and swallow while breastfeeding (Drewes). Pacifiers help these babies develop the oral muscles needed for feeding. They are also more likely to gain weight faster than preemies who are not given a pacifier. While pacifiers are useful for helping premature babies thrive, most of the same pediatricians also recommend that healthy full-term babies not be introduced to pacifiers until after one month and during weaning between six months and one year. Pacifiers given too early can cause nipple confusion and poor eating habits, while prolonged use leads to dental, health and addiction problems. Non-nutritive sucking (such as with a pacifier or thumb) changes the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevents the mouth from growing properly, and causes problems with the alignment of the teeth. Long-term pacifier use has been linked to causing malocclusion (imperfect positioning of the teeth) in children between the ages of 24 and 36 months. Posterior crossbites develop in young children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years. A cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil showed children as young as 18 months old with a posterior crossbite. The study analyzed 2,750 children with posterior crossbites and concluded that 950 of the children, or 34.5 percent, used a pacifier. Anterior open bite is a more common malocclusion that can be caused by pacifier use. Researchers in Cava de' Tirreni, Italy, conducted a study of 1,000 preschool children between the ages of three and five and found that 89 percent of children with anterior open bites used a pacifier or sucked their thumb. Young children are twice as likely to.