Are latex pacifiers safe to use?

There have been so many issues with plastic bottles and sippy cups. My daughter is 20 months old and still needs her pacifier at night. I use the nuk ortho pacifiers however the 18 + month size only comes in latex and i am looking for silacone. When i went to babys r us and they said that none of the brands they carry make a silacone pacifier that size. Are there health issues (cancer etc) with the use of latex as well?Are latex pacifiers safe to use?
Silicone or Latex Pacifiers?


Both silicone and latex pacifier nipples have advantages, and the choice usually comes down to baby's preference. Silicone is sturdy, doesn't retain odors, cleans up easily and is harder for baby to bite through. Silicone is not as soft on baby's mouth, though. Latex is soft in baby's mouth and baby may like the way it retains scents, but latex doesn't hold up as well to repeated cleanings and little teeth can quickly chew through it.





Check for Pacifier Recalls


It doesn't happen very often, but baby pacifiers are sometimes recalled for safety issues. When something is in baby's mouth so often, it's important to know if a flaw poses a choking hazard or other danger.


Current Baby Products Recalls





One-Piece Pacifiers Only


Most new pacifiers are one-piece, whether they are made of molded silicone or a combination of plastic and silicone or latex. Check to be sure the nipple is firmly attached to the base of the pacifier. If you are able to detach the nipple with a tug, you can be sure baby will eventually detach it. Also avoid pacifiers that have liquid or gel inside the nipple. Liquid-filled pacifiers may look cool, but they're messy and possibly harmful when baby bites through and releases the liquid.








Don't Improvise


While many baby products can be recreated at home, pacifiers are not in that category. Do not use bottle nipples and caps as pacifiers, as they can come apart and cause choking. Homemade pacifiers may not be sturdy enough to hold up to repeated use without breaking down or psing other health risks to baby.


Orthodontic Pacifiers vs. Rounded Pacifiers


Orthodontic pacifier nipples have a rounded top and a flat bottom, and were designed to prevent tooth troubles later in baby's life. However, if your baby prefers a rounded traditional pacifier nipple, go with what works. Both types of pacifier nipples have been found to increase bite problems, like overbite, later in life, but limiting the amount of time baby spends with the pacifier and taking the pacifier away after baby's first year can minimize dental damage.Are latex pacifiers safe to use?
If I were you I would break the habit completely I had a 3 year old with a pacifier and the longer you let them hold on to them the more they are attached to it. You may just want to throw them all away and tough it out for a few nights the dentists are not lying when they say it messes up there teeth its true. And at 20 months she will miss it for a few days but she will soon forget. Honestly with all those things you hear on the news I would rather let go through binky withdraws for a few days then put her at risk every night with something so uncertain.
Latex is not a plastic so none of the BPA issues would apply. Of course latex is safe. That's why many bottle and pacifier nipples are made in latex. The main reason that they make silicone ones is because some people are allergic to latex.