Association between breastfeeding and dental caries in Saudi preschool children

Abstract Aims The objective of this study is to assess the potential association of breastfeeding and some other factors with the risk for early childhood caries (ECC) among young children in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with male and female preschool children, aged between 30 and 66 months. A structured questionnaire was administered to the mothers to inquire about the feeding pattern of their children and to collect data about their socio-economic status. The data were modeled using a Chi square test with a significance level of 5%. Results ECC was observed in 89.66% of the children examined. The group most affected with caries was among the mixed breastfed group with 37.07% compared to 31.02% of those who were exclusively breastfed. Feeding practices showed the association between ECC and breastfeeding ( P  = 0.0004) in children before 12 months of age. The relationship of parents, the mode of putting the child to sleep and the educational level of mothers were statistically related to the presence of ECC ( P  = 0; P  = 0.00001; P  = 0.00001), respectively. Conclusions It is concluded that children who were breastfed by mixed breastfeeding experienced caries the most. The shorter duration of breastfeeding, educational level of the mothers, and relationship of parents are correlated with the etiology of ECC.