Do pacifiers leach BPA into your baby's mouth?

What's actually in it

Pacifiers are made from silicone, latex, or polycarbonate plastic. Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to make hard, clear polycarbonate parts like the shield, ring, and button. Even pacifiers marketed as BPA-free may have trace amounts if the manufacturing process wasn't completely clean. Babies suck on pacifiers for hours every day, creating constant warm, wet contact that pulls chemicals out of the material.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Sci Pollut Res bought commercially available pacifiers and tested them under conditions designed to mimic a baby's mouth. They soaked the pacifiers in artificial saliva at body temperature and measured how much BPA came out.

BPA was detected migrating from multiple pacifier brands. The amounts varied widely between products. Some released very little, while others released enough that a baby using the pacifier all day could exceed the tolerable daily intake set by health authorities.

Babies are especially vulnerable to BPA because their bodies are still developing and they can't break down the chemical as efficiently as adults. BPA mimics estrogen and can interfere with hormone-driven development of the brain, reproductive organs, and immune system.

When choosing a pacifier, look for ones made entirely of medical-grade silicone with no hard plastic parts. Replace pacifiers regularly, since wear and heat from sterilizing can increase chemical leaching. Avoid using dishwashers or boiling water for extended periods, as high heat breaks down the material faster.