Help! My Baby’s Pacifier Smells.

It is no surprise, babies suck! They are born with an innate sense of sucking. All your baby knows how to do at birth. Many parents will notice that some babies already try to suck their thumb or another finger. As a mom, you may feel frustrated at your baby’s strength when they are sucking at feeding time. Something that most parents do not think of is that babies can have smelly breath, which means their pacifier likely has that same odor to it. Why? You wash it daily, so that should be enough. Wrong!

They Have A Need

When a baby sucks, it is for nutrition or comfort. Most often, a parent will have at least one pacifier lying around or in the diaper bag. The Pediatric Association has even stated that pacifiers MAY reduce sudden infant death. This has not been proven, though.

Parental Observance

Before we go too much further into this, let’s get one thing out of the way. It is not the baby’s job to tell you when he or she needs a new pacifier. Tack that onto your new responsibilities as a parent. If you are like many parents, you choose to give your little darling a pacifier to comfort him or her. Please, please, for your baby, check that pacifier each time before you put it into your infant’s mouth. Pacifiers, binky, or whatever you want to call them, tend to break. They can fall apart and cause a choking hazard. If you notice even a teeny, tiny crack in the pacifier, throw it away immediately!!! This is your baby, do not take a chance that the pacifier will be fine if used one more time.

Bath Time

I know that you bath your beautiful baby at least once a day, right? So a great idea here is to make a solution of vinegar and water in equal portions and soak the pacifier or pacifiers while you bath your baby. You are taking care of two issues in one short amount of time. Just be sure to rinse the pacifier off well, just like you do with your little one. You are asking, “Why, vinegar?” Simply because it is safer for the baby than harsh soap or bleach! Again, think about safety, not the ease. Pacifiers can also be put through a cycle in the dishwasher. The hot water will sanitize them. Using a mild soap and water bath for the pacifier is acceptable also, as long as it is rinsed well.

Not Just The Diaper

Your sweet little bundle of joy can be smelly. I am not saying just the diaper or even the spit-up. However, that spit up does not harbor the good type of bacteria. Clothes are easy to change, but what if you still smell the odor? You may likely need to clean your baby’s mouth. All that breastmilk or formula that the baby has had sits inside the mouth and ferments. This is easily solved. All you need to do is wrap gauze around your finger and dip it into a glass of clean drinking water. Then you gently put your finger into the baby’s mouth and wipe both upper and lower gums, also gently wipe the inside of the baby’s cheeks, top to bottom. This should eliminate the smell. Good oral hygiene begins early.

Do Not Use For Comfort After Medicine

Giving your baby the pacifier right after you have given a dose of medicine is a definite Do Not Do. Some medicines or Vitamins could cause the pacifier material to break down. This, in turn, can cause weakening or crack in the pacifier. It can also leave an odd odor on the pacifier.

Boiling Hot

If you still prefer to boil the pacifiers, an idea to aid in removing the odor is to put a few drops of vanilla flavoring in the water. It eliminates the stinky smell on the pacifier, and it may also leave your home smelling yummy!

First Time

When you first purchase the pacifier, it is recommended to boil it for a few minutes. You will notice a smell on it when you first remove it from the package. This is normal and should go away when it is boiled the first time.

The Comfort Of A Pacifier

You will find that even when your infant has a cold, they want their pacifier. It is common for a baby to breathe through their mouth when they have a cold. They will not have an easy time sucking on the pacifier, though. Another issue that can cause the stink is when the baby breathes with their mouth open, the mouth will become dry. Nasty bacteria will develop and be transferred to any object the baby puts into his or her mouth.

Speaking Of Dry Mouth

The simple act of the baby sucking on his or her finger or the pacifier can cause dry mouth. Again, there is a high chance that bacteria will grow and develop faster inside a dry mouth. This will cause halitosis for the baby, which will transfer to any item that the baby puts in his mouth. This includes the pacifier.

Finding Answers

When you have tried everything to eliminate the foul odor emanating from the baby’s pacifier, and nothing is helping, throw it away and buy new ones. If you find that the baby’s mouth is the source, a visit to your infant’s pediatrician is in order. Keep notes of all that you have tried so you can discuss it in detail with the pediatrician. The pediatrician may have a solution to the problem or even some different suggestions. At the very least, the pediatrician will give your lovely little one a complete check-up. You will then know if there are any issues with your baby. The pediatrician may determine that your baby has bad morning breath. He or she will likely tell you to continue proper oral hygiene morning and night. Cleaning the tongue is also recommended, just as it is for adults.