An investigation of the impacts of feeding type on the development of occlusion in Weifang children / 实用口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To assess the impacts of feeding type and non-nutritive sucking activity on occlusion in deciduous dentition in WeiFang city.Methods:The occlusion of 958 children aged 3 -5 years old in WeiFang city and their feeding types as well as the non-nutritive sucking habit during the first 1 2 months after birth were investigated by questionaire study.Data were statistically ana-lysed.Results:The prevalence of malocclusion in non-nutritive sucking habit group and non-habit group was 42% and 22% respec-tively(P =0.000 2).The type of feeding did not have effect on occlusion and openbite.The prevalence of openbite in the children with sucking habit and in those without habit was 17% and 4% respectively(P <0.000 1 ).The prevalence of posterior crossbite in the chil-dren with bottlefeeding and those with breastfeeding was 1 1 % and 4% respectively(P =0.000 2).The prevalence of posterior crossbite in the children with sucking habit and those without habit was 9% and 4% respectively(P =0.036 7).Conclusion:Non-nutritive sucking habit rather than feeding type in the first 1 2 months after birth is the main risk factor of malocclusion,breastfeeding is the pro-tective factor to occlusion.