title: Association of breastfeeding, pacifier use, breathing pattern and malocclusions in preschoolers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association of breastfeeding duration, pacifier use and nasal air flow with occlusal disorders among children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional observational study included 138 children aged 4 and 5 years selected in all the daycare centers of the city of Campo Limpo Paulista, Brazil. Questionnaires were applied to mothers to identify total duration of exclusive breastfeeding and non-nutritive sucking. The independent variables were: Sucking (pacifier, bottle, finger), breastfeeding duration and nasal air flow. The dependent variables were: Open bite, crossbite, overjet, overbite, diastema and maxillary deficiency. Frequency distribution calculations were performed, a chi-square test, the Fisher exact test and, after that, stepwise logistic regression were used for statistical analysis, and the level of significance was set at 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of a pacifier was the most deleterious factor and increased chances of having open bite in 33.3 times, marked overjet in 2.77 times and posterior crossbite in 5.26 times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a significant association between non-nutritive sucking, particularly the use of a pacifier, and occlusal disorders. These findings are important to plan the treatment of preschoolers.
authors.affiliation: State University of Southwest Bahia.
authors.forename: Sebastião Batista
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: Telmo Oliveira
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Bittar
authors.forename: Fabiana de Lima
authors.initials: Fde L
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.forename: Marcelo Castro
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Meneghim
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005386:Fingersucking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D041361:Pacifiers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
keywords: Breastfeeding; Malocclusion; Primary dentition