Breastfeeding and Child Oral Health: An Umbrella Review.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Umbrella review synthesizing 18 systematic reviews across multiple pediatric oral health outcomes.
PubMed 42093537 · doi:10.1177/08903344261426894
What was done
An umbrella review systematically searched databases (including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) to evaluate the association between breastfeeding and oral health in individuals under 18 years of age. Eighteen reviews covering dental caries, malocclusions, bone mass, muscle function, and cleft lip/palate were analyzed, with odds ratios (ORs) calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method.
What was found
Breastfeeding was protective against dental caries (OR 0.71, with duration showing no significant effect), open bite (OR 0.67), and posterior crossbite (OR 0.68). Breastfeeding for 6 months or more was protective against overjet, dental crowding, and Class II malocclusion. Breastfeeding was associated with an increased risk of overbite (OR 1.95). Narrative findings supported benefits for muscle and craniofacial development and safety post-surgery in cleft lip/palate. 95% confidence interval values were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This review compiles systematic-review-level evidence showing broad oral health and occlusal benefits from breastfeeding, alongside a specific association with increased overbite.
Limits
The abstract omits 95% confidence intervals, exact participant totals across primary studies, and details on adjustment for major confounders such as oral hygiene, dietary sugar exposure, or pacifier use. Potential overlap of primary studies across the 18 included reviews is not detailed.
Cited by
- partial Breastfeeding through the second year of life pulls down the high vault of the palate and widens the nasal passages compared to standard bottle feeding.