Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

7 questions · 14 findings · 1 reviews

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No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 14 · 100%Very low 0 · 0%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Nocturnal breastfeeding vs No nocturnal breastfeeding

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

After excluding one study, nocturnal breastfeeding was associated with higher ECC risk (RR 3.05, 95% CI 2.40 to 3.87; I²=33%).

2 findings from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
First dental examination before age 6 years · Clinical, field, or unclear dental examination settings · Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding study 39
RR 3.05 [2.40, 3.87]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 2.35 [1.42, 3.89]
3 studies · 1590 participants
GRADE not reported

Breastfeeding for <4 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥4 months

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

Breastfeeding for <4 vs ≥4 months was not significantly associated with early childhood caries (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.80-1.13; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 0.95 [0.80, 1.13]
2 studies · 1017 participants
GRADE not reported

Breastfeeding for <6 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥6 months

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

In cohort studies, breastfeeding for <6 vs ≥6 months was not significantly associated with early childhood caries (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.88-1.06; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 0.97 [0.88, 1.06]
6 studies · 4850 participants
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Case-control studies
OR 0.53 [0.41, 0.67]
2 studies · 1201 participants
GRADE not reported

Breastfeeding <24 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥24 months

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

After excluding Peres et al. (2017), breastfeeding for less than 24 months was associated with fewer caries (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.62; I²=6%).

2 findings from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
First dental examination before age 6 years · Clinical, field, or unclear dental examination settings · Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding Peres et al. (2017)
RR 0.49 [0.39, 0.62]
3 studies
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 0.59 [0.33, 1.05]
4 studies · 2271 participants
GRADE not reported

Breastfeeding <12 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥12 months

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

Breastfeeding for <12 vs ≥12 months was associated with significantly fewer caries (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.86), indicating breastfeeding beyond 12 months increases ECC risk (substantial heterogeneity; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 0.65 [0.50, 0.86]
8 studies · 4365 participants
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
First dental examination before age 6 years · Clinical, field, or unclear dental examination settings · Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding studies 35, 42, and 48
RR 0.70 [0.62, 0.80]
5 studies
GRADE not reported

Breastfeeding <18 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥18 months

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

Breastfeeding for <18 vs ≥18 months was associated with significantly fewer caries (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18-0.92; substantial heterogeneity; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 0.41 [0.18, 0.92]
5 studies · 2332 participants
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
First dental examination before age 6 years · Clinical, field, or unclear dental examination settings · Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding studies 48 and 52
RR 0.26 [0.16, 0.42]
3 studies
GRADE not reported

Breastfeeding vs No breastfeeding

Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)

After excluding five studies, breastfeeding was associated with lower ECC risk in cohort studies (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.95; I²=0%).

3 findings from 1 review

Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
First dental examination before age 6 years · Clinical, field, or unclear dental examination settings · Cohort studies; sensitivity analysis excluding studies 37, 41, 45, 53, and 56
RR 0.82 [0.71, 0.95]
5 studies
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Case-control studies
OR 1.04 [0.78, 1.38]
5 studies · 1022 participants
GRADE not reported
Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes
Preschool children in high- and middle-income countries; caries assessed in clinical or field/community settings · Cohort studies
RR 0.98 [0.77, 1.26]
10 studies · 8506 participants
GRADE not reported