Prolonged pacifier use during infancy and smoking initiation in adolescence: evidence from a historical cohort study.

Aim: To investigate the association between prolonged pacifier use during childhood and smoking in adolescence and early adulthood.

Methods: A historical cohort study including patients from a dental private office was designed. Dental records were used, which contained complete data about sucking habits from 314 children (2-10 years of age) who had attended a private dental office from 1988 to 1994 in Ibiá, Brazil.