6 things that shorten a pacifier's durability
During the short lifespan of a pacifier, it gets scalded, chewed on, pulled, dropped on the ground, and exposed to various other things one wouldn’t expect. This limits the pacifier's durability. As a general rule, we recommend replacing the pacifier after six weeks of use, but five specific factors can either prolong or shorten its lifespan.
How do you store your child’s pacifiers?
Light and heat affect the durability of pacifiers. Therefore, always store cleaned pacifiers in a dry, dark, and not-too-warm place. Natural rubber pacifiers, in particular, are damaged by light and heat.
How do you clean the pacifiers?
It is important to clean pacifiers properly. Incorrect cleaning can damage them, so avoid boiling them, putting them in the washing machine, or using cleaning agents.
How many pacifiers do you use at once?
If your child constantly has 5-6 pacifiers in circulation, each pacifier will naturally be used less frequently. If your child uses natural rubber pacifiers, we recommend always having several pacifiers in use at once and replacing them regularly. This is because natural rubber expands over time, unlike silicone.
How often is the pacifier used?
The more often your child uses the pacifier, the faster it will wear out. Also, there can be a big difference from child to child in how strongly they suck on the pacifier. A strong suck can significantly reduce the durability of natural rubber pacifiers.
Does your child chew on the pacifier?
Some children start to bite the pacifier when they get teeth. It’s both a fun and comforting sensation for them—but unfortunately, pacifiers can’t withstand sharp milk teeth. If your child bites the pacifier, you should switch to a pacifier designed for this purpose, such as the Difrax Dental series.
Additionally, note that there is a difference in durability between natural rubber and silicone. Natural rubber is a 100% organic material and has a shorter lifespan than silicone.