Abstract

FRANCO VARAS, V.; GORRITXO GIL, B.  and  GARCIA IZQUIERDO, F.. Prevalence of childhood oral habits and their influence in primary dentition. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria [online]. 2012, vol.14, n.53, pp.13-20. ISSN 1139-7632.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1139-76322012000100002.

ABSTRACT Objectives: to assess the prevalence of anomalous oral habits and the influence of nonnutritive (pacifier and digit) sucking habits on primary dentition in a sample of preschool-age children. Materials and methods: design: cross-sectional, descriptive, observational epidemiological study; location: three schools of the Basque Country; participants: 225 children of ages ranging from two to six years with fully erupted primary teeth. Main measurements: the data were obtained through a habit questionnaire given to the parents, and clinical examinations performed on the children during which occlusal abnormalities such as anterior open bites, increased overjets and posterior crossbites were recorded. Results: the prevalence of deleterious oral habits in the studied sample of children was very high (90.7%). Nonnutritive sucking habits (of pacifier, digits) were shown to be the most frequent among them (85.3%). We found a significant increase in the studied malocclusions when the sucking habit persisted. Conclusions: nonnutritive sucking habits influence the development of teeth, and therefore we recommend that such habits be discontinued early (before two years of age) to prevent the development of dental malocclusions.

Keywords : Nonnutritive sucking; Primary dentition; Malocclusion.

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