Prolonged pacifier-sucking and use of a nursing bottle at night: possible risk factors for dental caries in children

Abstract

At the baseline of this cohort study we determined risk factors for colonization of oral lactobacilli and candida in a group of children (n = 166) whose mean age was 2.5 years. The results showed that pacifier-sucking and the use of a nursing bottle at night increase the occurrence of both salivary lactobacilli and candida. In the present study these children were followed for 2 years, and the progression of caries was recorded with particular reference to the etiologic factors measured before. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed prolonged pacifier-sucking (> or = 24 months) to be a significant risk factor for caries development in children, with a rather high relative risk (RR) of 3.5 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5-8.2; P= 0.003). Prolonged use of a nursing bottle at night (> or = 24 months) was also a risk factor, but less significant than pacifier-sucking (RR, 2.6; CI, 1.1-6.4; P= 0.03). On the grounds of this study we conclude that prolonged pacifier-sucking (> or = 2 years) and use of a nursing bottle at night are risk factors for dental caries in children.

Oral health, sociodemographic factors, dietary and oral hygiene practices in Jordanian children

“…Prolonged bottle feeding, bottle feeding on demand, use of comforters and the habit of sleeping beside the mother have all been shown to be associated with caries experience in the past. 21,37,[42][43][44][45][46][47] Results of this study also suggested that the habit of sleeping beside the mother and the use of comforters were independently associated with caries prevalence.…”

Allergic Rhinitis, Feeding and Oral Habits, Toothbrushing and Socioeconomic Status

“…The association between certain nonnutritive suction habits, particularly pacifier use, and the development of dental caries has been documented in diverse studies [Ollila et al, 1998;Levine, 1999]. There are several possible mechanisms through which pacifier use favors dental caries development.…”

“…Ollila et al [1998] studied the effect of pacifier use on dental caries in a group of 166 preschool children. The authors reached similar conclusions to those of our group, showing an association.…”

“…However, the effects of other factors such as allergic rhinitis and some nonnutritive suction habits (pacifier use and thumb sucking) on dental caries development appear unclear based on published results and require further study [Ollila et al, 1998;Levine, 1999;Stecksén-Blicks et al, 2004].…”

“…On the other hand, the effect of allergic rhinitis and nonnutritive sucking habits on caries in children under the age of 5 years is unclear [Ollila et al, 1998;Deery, 2004;Peressini, 2004]. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of breast-feeding, bottle-feeding, socioeconomic background, oral hygiene, sugar consumption, allergic rhinitis, pacifier use and digit sucking on the development of dental caries in a large cohort of preschool children aged 4-5 years.…”