Introduction and objectives:

there is debate whether prolonged breastfeeding is a risk factor for caries. Breastfeeding, recommended for at least two years, has been associated with several benefits, including in oral health. We reviewed the literature on the subject, and present the results observed in the cohort under study.

Methods:

study conducted in a prospective, open-enrolment and multipurpose cohort of children aged 4-5 years, whose parents completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding diet and lifestyle habits. We performed a retrospective analysis of the prevalence of caries based on the duration of breastfeeding. We adjusted the analysis by age, sex, race, parental knowledge and attitudes, total energy and sugar intake and adherence to the Mediterranean diet.

Results:

the sample included 370 children, of who 50 had developed caries. Breastfeeding up to 12 months was associated with a lower risk of caries, but breastfeeding longer than 12 months was associated with an increased risk (OR 2.75; 95 IC: 1.397 - 5.44; p = 0.003). The total energy and sugar intakes were not significant confounders in the association under study. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may have a protective effect, but more research is needed to confirm it.

Conclusions:

we found a significant direct association between breastfeeding for more than 12 months and the prevalence of caries. However, breastfeeding for less than 12 months had a protective effect. Our findings were consistent with the previous literature.

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