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Whether you call it a binky, dummy or soother, a pacifier is traditionally meant to comfort infants, but in China, it has unexpectedly become a viral fad among adults.
In a bizarre new trend, “adult pacifiers" are gaining traction for their supposed ability to reduce stress and anxiety. While people claim the product helps them self-soothe, the craze has sparked concern among medical professionals, who warn it may have negative implications for users’ overall health.
According to a report by The Cover, these silicone or rubber pacifiers are being sold on e-commerce platforms for anywhere between 10 and 500 yuan. Marketed as an adult version of the baby product, promising stress relief and better sleep, some online sellers claim to have moved over 2,000 units in just one month.
Why Are Adults Using Pacifiers?
Reportedly, one buyer on a shopping platform reviewed the product, saying, “It is high quality, soft, and I feel comfortable sucking it. It does not impede my breathing."
Another added, “It is amazing in helping me quit smoking. It gives me psychological comfort and makes me not so fidgety during my smoke cessation periods."
A different person said, “When I am under pressure at work, I suck on the dummy. I feel I am indulged in a sense of safety from childhood."
What Are The Dangers Of Using Pacifiers By Adults?
Despite being touted for its benefits of helping with stress management, quitting smoking and assisting proper breathing, doctors still warn people against using adult pacifiers. They have warned that using such tools over a period of time can cause oral problems such as damage to your teeth and misalignment, changes in jaw shape, changes in the roof of your mouth, infections and speech problems, among other things.
The aforementioned outlet quoted Dr Tang Caomin, a dentist in Chengdu, Sichuan province in southwestern China, explaining that sucking on pacifiers as an adult for more than three hours a day could move teeth out of place. “The potential damage to customers’ mouths by the pacifiers is intentionally played down by their sellers.
By sucking the dummy for more than three hours a day, the position of your teeth might change after a year," the doctor said.
Tang further noted that prolonged use of pacifiers may even cause discomfort while chewing. He also cautioned that small parts could potentially loosen and pose a choking hazard, especially if the user falls asleep with it in their mouth.
In addition, psychologists have voiced concern over the trend, arguing that by relying on pacifiers, adults may be avoiding rather than addressing the underlying causes of their stress and anxiety.
*The opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author.*
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