JAKARTA - Adult-specific pacifiers are currently trending in China. These products are claimed to relieve anxiety, aid sleep, and even aid smoking cessation. However, despite their growing popularity, doctors and netizens are raising concerns about their health impacts.
Several online stores in China claim to sell more than 2,000 adult pacifiers each month. They are similar in shape to baby pacifiers, only larger. According to a report by The Cover, prices range from 10 yuan to 500 yuan (Rp22,000 to Rp1.1 million).
As reported by the South China Morning Post, many sellers claim these pacifiers can help relieve stress and promote better sleep.
Some even claim they can help someone quit smoking and improve breathing. The nipple is transparent, while the protective cover comes in a variety of colors.
"It's very soft, high-quality, and I feel comfortable sucking on it. It doesn't interfere with my breathing," said one shopper on one of China's largest shopping platforms.
"This really helped me quit smoking. It gave me psychological comfort and kept me from feeling anxious during my quitting period," said another customer.
"When I'm stressed at work, I suck on this pacifier. I feel like I've returned to the safety of childhood," said another pacifier user.
However, health experts warn that long-term use of adult pacifiers can have negative effects.
"The risk of oral damage from these pacifiers is deliberately downplayed by sellers," said Tang Caomin, a dentist from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Tang explained that using them for more than three hours a day can change the position of the teeth within a year. It can also cause difficulty opening the mouth and pain when chewing.
He also warned of the risk of choking during sleep if part of the pacifier is accidentally inhaled.
Meanwhile, Zhang Mo, a psychologist from Chengdu, believes that the emotional needs of pacifier users are not being met in a mature way.
"The real solution is not to treat yourself like a child, but to face challenges head-on and overcome them," said Zhang Mo.
This phenomenon sparked heated debate on Chinese social media, with a single post garnering up to 60 million views.
"This world has truly gone mad, even adults use pacifiers now," wrote one netizen.
"Can't this be considered a tax on idiots?" joked another user.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
