THE FREQUENCY OF USING DIFFERENT TYPES OF PACIFIER AND BOTTLE NIPPLE AMONG 1 24 MONTHS OLD CHILDREN
BACKGROUND AND AIM Sucking of some types of a pacifier may be a risk factor for mal development of orofacial structures and malocclusion. This study assessed the prevalence of using of different types of pacifier and bottle nipple among 1 24 months old children in Kerman, Iran. METHODS In this cross sectional study, a total of 300 mothers interviewed at 20 specialized private pediatric offices in Kerman. The mothers had 1 24 months old children. A checklist includes items about pacifier sucking, bottle feeding habits, as well as mothers' ability to recognize different kinds of available pacifier and bottle nipple was used. RESULTS The rate of pacifier sucking was 37.3% and use of bottle feeding was 42.3% and among of the users, 24.0 and 35.7% were used orthodontic (functional) types of pacifier and bottle nipple respectively. However, only 28.7% of mothers had adequate ability to recognize orthodontic pacifier and bottle nipple. CONCLUSION The rates of using orthodontic kind of pacifier and bottle nipple were low, and a few mothers had adequate ability to recognize their differences.