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Is 5 too old for a pacifier?

UPDATE: Instead of a tempest in a teapot, maybe we should call it the battle of the binky? Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom and Katie, was photographed this weekend sucking on a pacifier as she strolled through Vancouver. She turns 5 next month. We've gotten more than 36,000 votes on our TODAY Moms poll, with 91.5 percent saying 5 is too old for a paci.TODAY took up the subject Thursday morning: How o

UPDATE: Instead of a tempest in a teapot, maybe we should call it the battle of the binky? Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom and Katie, was photographed this weekend sucking on a pacifier as she strolled through Vancouver. She turns 5 next month. We've gotten more than 36,000 votes on our TODAY Moms poll, with 91.5 percent saying 5 is too old for a paci.

TODAY took up the subject Thursday morning: How old is too old?

Watch the video here.

Dr. Lisa Thornton, a Chicago pediatrician, says the standard recommendation is that parents take pacifiers away starting at around a year. Extended paci use is associated with increased ear infections, as well as dental problems, she said.

But pacifiers can be a mom's best friend, said Denise Albert of Momsandthecity.net, who relies on the binky to soothe her 2.5-year-old.

"We all have bad habits, and I'm OK with it," she said.

Some parents -- and self-proclaimed experts on the internet -- think 5 is way too old for a binky. Others say, hey, cut the little kid some slack. After all, if you lived with Tom Cruise and paparazzi followed you to every play date, you'd probably need a little extra comforting, too.

Perhaps Suri with a soother seems particularly odd because she often dresses like a mini-adult, a little fashionista. Parents Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were raked over the coals last year for letting her wear heels and lipstick. Too young, too old... they just can't win!

What do you think? Is 5 years old -- or almost 5 -- too old for a binky?

Cast your vote here, and click here for the full story and photo.