The Air Force Safety Center is a Field Operating Agency with headquarters at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
The Finnish researchers are unsure why the use of a pacifier might lead to an ear infection, but theorized it may have something to do with the change in pressure equilibrium inside the ear caused by the sucking.
, I'm a Speech Language Pathologist with experience in pediatrics. The simple answer is that pacifiers provide oral stimulation much like a nipple, which is something infants crave since it is their method of feeding. Though there's more to it than just the physical sensation.