Tips for Safe Pacifier Use
Clean pacifiers regularly. For infants younger than 6 months, boil the pacifier or run it through the dishwasher. For babies older than 6 months, clean the pacifier with soap and water.
Do not use homemade pacifiers. Some parents have used bottle nipples as pacifiers, sometimes stuffing them with cotton. This creates the danger of choking or ingesting air.
Most pacifiers are made of natural rubber or latex, which saliva eventually will break down. Throw out a pacifier that shows signs of age.
Remember that a pacifier will not calm a hungry baby, and that the baby will keep crying.