Feeding habits and severe early childhood caries in Brazilian preschool children.

PURPOSE The objective of this study was to analyze the association between the feeding practice and presence or absence of SECC (Severe Early Childhood Caries) in Brazilian preschool children. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted with male and female preschool children, aged 36 to 71 months, randomly selected from a low-income population. A 24-hour recall diary was used to assess data about infant feeding practices and dietary habits. The data were statistically analyzed using the chi-square test with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS SECC was observed in 36% of the children examined. Infant feeding practices showed the association between SECC and night-time breast-feeding (P = .02) or breast-feeding (P = .0004) in children older than 12 months of age. The use of a bottle at night as a substitute for the pacifier and its use on demand during the day were also correlated with SECC (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS It was concluded that night-time breast-feeding in children older than 12 months of age, the use of a bottle at night as a substitute for the pacifier, and use of the bottle on demand during the day are feeding practices correlated with the etiology of SECC.