The Effect of Breast Feeding on Eruption of First Primary Tooth in a Group of 6-12 Month Saudi Children
Raghd A. M. Al-Ansari
Intern at the Faculty of Dentistry, Taibah University, KSA.
Nadia M. M. Farrag *
Pediatric Dentistry, Taibah University, KSA and Pediatric Dentistry, Mansoura University, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Eruption of primary teeth is a very important indicator to assess growth and development of the children.
Aim: The present research studied the possible influence of the breast feeding on eruption time of first primary tooth. Also, number of erupting primary teeth in both males and females up to 12 month in relation to type of feeding has been studied.
Study Design: This is an analytic cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: The present sample was selected from 4 primary health care centers in Al-Madinah Al-Monawarah, Kingdome of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between June and July, 2015.
Methodology: A total of 100 healthy children aged between 6-12 month with mean age of (9.26±2.90) month were selected according to cluster random sampling. A questionnaire was completed by direct interview of the children's Mothers. They were asked about the type of feeding (Breast or bottle feeding) they practiced for their children, the eruption age of the first appearing primary tooth in the oral cavity for their children as well as the number of erupted primary teeth.
Results: In breast feeding children the mean time of eruption for first primary tooth was (7.48±1.64) month, while it was (7.17±1.34) month for bottle feeding with no significant difference, p=0.477. The mean number of erupting primary incisors teeth was lower in group of breast feeding (1.72±1.84) than those in bottle feeding (3.12±2.82) with statistical significant difference (p=0.005). For the whole sample, the mean number of erupting teeth was not affected by the gender. It was (1.98±2.09) for males and (2.15±2.29) for females with no significant difference, p=0.706. Multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated that Increase in age and bottle feeding were predicators of number of erupted teeth.
Conclusion: In this group of Saudi Children, breast feeding had no influence on eruption time of first primary tooth. The number of erupting primary incisors teeth was significantly lower in the group of breast feeding than those in bottle feeding. Eruption of primary teeth was not affected by gender.
Keywords: Breastfeeding, bottelfeeding, eruption, primary teeth, Saudi children.