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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Dental caries · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months)
In a meta-analysis of two cross-sectional studies, breastfed children had lower odds of dental caries than bottle-fed children (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.80); certainty was not formally graded.
2 findings from 1 review
OR 0.43 [0.23, 0.80]
2 studies · 620 participants
GRADE not reported
Breast and Bottle Feeding as Risk Factors for Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2015 All outcomesKindergartens, hospitals and health centres; Kuwait, China, Syria, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Italy
Four studies showed that bottle fed children had more dental caries (p<0.05), while three studies found no such association (p>0.05); the review concluded that breastfeeding can protect against dental caries in early…
7 studies
GRADE not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for 12-24 months is associated with higher ECC prevalence (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
PR 3.32 [1.57, 5.07]
2 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for 12-24 months may not increase ECC risk (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
RR 1.21 [0.82, 1.78]
5 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for more than 12 months is associated with higher ECC prevalence (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 1.86 [1.48, 2.35]
13 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years)
Breastfeeding for more than 24 months is associated with higher ECC prevalence (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 2.99 [1.03, 8.67]
4 studies
Low
Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months)
Breastfeeding beyond 24 months is associated with an increased risk (incidence) of early childhood caries versus not breastfeeding at the same age (RR 2.44, 95% CI 1.97 to 3.02; low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children aged 0-5 years in North Africa
Weaning after 18 months was associated with higher odds of ECC (OR 2.417).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 2.417 [1.340, 4.358]
1 study
GRADE not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Healthy children under 6 years in South Africa
No significant difference in caries odds was found between bottle-fed-only and breast-fed-only children (meta-analysis reported no difference; pooled estimate in an unavailable supplementary figure; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk
The intervention showed no clear difference in early childhood caries (ECC) - incidence/risk; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
RR 1.37 [0.89, 2.12]
6 studies
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
The intervention led to higher dental caries (early childhood caries); GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
OR 17.8 [6.3, 50.3]
1 study
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
The intervention led to lower dental caries (early childhood caries); GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
1 finding from 1 review
AOR 6.5
1 study
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
1 finding from 1 review
AOR 3.7
1 study
GRADE not reported