Title No Effect Of Breast Feeding On Early Childhood Caries
Clinical Question In healthy nursing infants can prolonged (more than six months) breast feeding contribute to the development of early childhood caries as compared to breastfeeding for a period of six months or less?
Clinical Bottom Line There is no evidence that suggests that any benefit or harm from prolonged and/or exclusive breast feeding on dental caries.
Best Evidence  
PubMed ID Author / Year Patient Group Study type
(level of evidence)
17878730Kramer/200717046 healthy mother/infant breastfeeding pairsRandomized Controlled Trial
Key resultsThe trial was from a study on breast feeding promotion intervention that assessed the effects of breast feeding promotion on breast feeding duration and exclusivity. The children from this study had a follow-up at different clinics where pediatricians transcribed reports of a standard dental examination done at the age of six years old. The experimental intervention led to a large increase in exclusive breast feeding at 3 months and a significantly higher prevalence of any breast feeding at all ages up to and including 12 months. No significant difference in the prevalence of dental caries among the children irrespective of the breast-feeding duration.
Evidence Search Search ("Dental Caries"[Mesh]) AND "Breast Feeding"[Mesh] Limits: Clinical Trial, Randomized Controlled Trial
Comments on
The Evidence
The evidence was valid. The controlled trial was randomized, and it was also double-blind. There was a 81.5% completion rate, with adequate follow up of the trial participants.
Applicability This is critical information for new parents concerned with the oral health of their children. The duration of nursing has not been proven to cause caries.
Specialty (Public Health) (General Dentistry) (Pediatric Dentistry)
Keywords Nursing, caries, breastfeeding
ID# 859
Date of submission 04/01/2011
E-mail stewartjc@livemail.uthscsa.edu
Author Joetta Stewart
Co-author(s)
Co-author(s) e-mail
Faculty mentor Bennett T. Amaechi, BDS, MSc, PhD
Faculty mentor e-mail Amaechi@uthscsa.edu
   
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?)
None available
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Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs)
by Amy Wagner (San Antonio, TX) on 03/10/2016
This was very helpful. Thanks!