Association between breast-feeding practices and sucking habits: A cross-sectional study of children in their first year of life

In addition to providing nutrition and immunological protection, breast-feeding has positive effects on the development of the infant's oral cavity. The aim of the present study is to assess breast-feeding patterns and to analyze the influence of breast-feeding practices and maternal sociodemographic variables on the prevalence of non-nutritive sucking habits in a sample of Brazilian infants. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Southern Brazil. A random sample of 100 mothers of infants up to 12 months of age was interviewed during the National Vaccination Campaign Day. The prevalence and median duration of breast-feeding were assessed. Breast-feeding practice, the exposure factor, was categorized as exclusive breast-feeding, predominant breast-feeding, complementary breast-feeding, or weaning. Maternal sociodemographic variables included age, race, marital status, educational level, profession, and family income. The outcome investigated was the prevalence of sucking habits (pacifier use and thumb sucking). We used two-sample tests, the chi-square test and Fisher exact test0 for statistical analyses of the data. The study revealed that 75% of infants were being breast-fed. Pacifier use and thumb sucking were common in 55%. Bottle-feeding was prevalent in 74% of infants. Breast-feeding was negatively correlated with pacifier use and thumb sucking (OR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.4). Bottle-feeding was strongly associated with weaning (p = 0.0003). Among the sociodemographic variables, only marital status showed a statistical association with sucking habits (p = 0.04). These findings suggest that breast-feeding can prevent the occurrence of sucking habits. Although we could not evaluate causality assessment, malocclusion prevention seems to be yet one more reason for promoting breast-feeding practices.

A longitudinal study of the association between breast-feeding and harmful oral habits

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Surface electromyography of facial muscles during natural and artificial feeding of infants

Objective: To measure and compare the activity of the masseter, temporalis and buccinator muscles in different infant feeding methods. Method: Cross-sectional study of 60 full-term infants with no intercurrent diseases, aged between two and three months, classified into the following groups: 1) exclusive breastfeeding; 2) breastfeeding plus bottle-feeding; and 3) exclusive breastfeeding plus cup feeding. Surface electromyography was performed during infant feeding. The Krushal-Wallis test was used, complemented by multiple paired comparisons of the groups. A 5% significance level was chosen for the tests. Results: Statistically higher results were verified in the breastfeeding group in relation to the bottle-feeding one, both in the range of movement and the mean contraction of the masseter. With regard to the temporalis muscle, statistically higher results were found in the breastfeeding group comparatively to the bottle-feeding one. As to the buccinator muscle, statistically higher results were observed in the breastfeeding group in relation to the bottle-feeding one, although in this case, the difference concerned only the range of contraction. Conclusion: The similarities between the muscle activity in the breastfeeding and in the cup-feeding groups suggests that cup-feeding can be used as an alternative infant feeding method, being better than bottle-feeding, due to the hyperactivity of the buccinator muscle, which could result in changes to the structural growth and development of the stomatognathic system functions. Copyright © 2006 by Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria.

Prevalência de hábitos de sucção não nutritivos em pré-escolares e a percepção dos pais sobre sua relação com maloclusões

Este estudo transversal e descritivo objetivou verificar a prevalência de hábitos de sucção em pré-escolares e a percepção dos pais sobre a relação com a ocorrência de maloclusões. A população do estudo constituiu-se por uma amostra representativa de pais de pré-escolares de 4 meses a 6 anos de idade. Utilizou-se um questionário semiestruturado, composto por questões abertas e fechadas, referentes à frequência e conhecimentos dos pais frente aos hábitos de sucção não nutritivos. Dos 356 participantes da pesquisa, 70,8% afirmaram que as crianças apresentavam algum hábito bucal, sendo a sucção de chupeta o mais frequente (45,6%). Apesar da grande maioria dos pesquisados (97,1%) relatarem saber que os hábitos podiam causar prejuízo aos dentes, 70,2% deles já haviam oferecido chupeta à criança, na maioria das vezes para acalmá-la (61,8%). Houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre a oferta da chupeta à criança e o conhecimento sobre a relação da presença de hábitos não nutritivos e a ocorrência de maloclusão (p < 0,0001 e Qui-quadrado = 60,123). A prevalência de hábitos bucais na população estudada é alta e, apesar da maioria dos pais saberem que o hábito de sucção de chupeta pode causar danos à saúde bucal, ofertavam a chupeta a fim de acalmar a criança.

Influencia dos hábitos de sucção na manifestação de dor temporo-mandibular: revisão sistemática

Objective: To assess the attitudes and knowledge about hepatitis by scholars and dental practitioners from Recife and its metropolitan region. Method: The research protocol was submitted and approved by the Ethics and Human Research Committee of the Federal University of Pernambuco. There were included 230 undergraduate students in dentistry and 104 dentists who exercise their professional activity in Recife and its Metropolitan Region. They signed a consent form and answered a questionnaire, the evaluative instrument, with objective questions about biosafety, transmission of hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases. Results: About the types of hepatitis 133 (57.8%) students and 61 (58.7%) professionals claimed to know the types A, B and C. Concerning transmission 31 (13.5%) students and 25 (24.0%) professionals said that the main route of transmission were sexual and bloodstream respectively. Relating to imunization 221 (96.1%) students and 99 (95.2%) professionals reported that have been vaccinated against hepatitis B, however, only 126 (54.8%) students and 55 (52.9%) professionals have followed the immunization’s schema. Regarding the cleaning of the office equipment, 18.7% of the students replied that they do not know who does it. 56.7% of professionals said that it was performed with alcohol 70 ° GL.Conclusions: The findings indicate that there is a concern for biosafety but the knowledge about the forms of hepatitis transmission and biosecurity measures need to be better settled.

Non-nutritive sucking associated with self-mutilating behavior

Although sucking activity has been considered an essential behavior of early childhood to satisfy nutritive and non-nutritive needs, digit and pacifier sucking are deleterious oral habits that may interfere with child development. Furthermore, this clinical picture may be compounded by other concerning habits, such as self-mutilating behavior. This article reports 4-year follow-up of a child in whom non-nutritive sucking was associated with an unusual self-mutilating behavior; namely, the child would pull out her own hair after wrapping it around her finger every time she sucked on the pacifier. This occurred specially at bedtime, while she was watching TV, or when she was somewhat anxious, and remitted and recurred throughout the follow-up period. In an attempt to address this behavior, pacifier use was discontinued and the child’s head was shaved. Ultimately, the case was only solved through combined efforts involving the child, her family, and health professionals. Based on the parents’ reports and clinical examination and follow-up findings, we emphasize the importance of investigating the origin of the problem and considering emotional aspects and its association with other habits in such cases.