title: Cessation age of breast-feeding and pacifier use is associated with persistent finger-sucking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although some studies have reported that breast-feeding and pacifier use influence finger-sucking, few have demonstrated whether the age at cessation of breast-feeding or pacifier use and persistent finger-sucking are related. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether the age at cessation of breast-feeding and pacifier use influenced persistent finger-sucking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 555 36- to 47-month-olds was conducted in Nagasaki, Japan, using a questionnaire. Using the optimal cutoff point in a receiver-operating characteristic curve, the age was estimated at which cessation of pacifier use and breast-feeding had the most significant effect on persistent finger-sucking, and the estimated ages were assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis, incorporating all the questions in the questionnaire as independent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds ratios for persistent finger-sucking when breast-feeding was stopped at an age younger than 12 months old or when pacifier use was stopped at an age younger than 14 months old were 3.77 (95 percent confidence interval (CI)=1.97-7.22) and 8.62 (95 percent CI=2.56-29.04), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cessation of breast-feeding before 12 months old or pacifier use before 14 months old was associated with persistent finger-sucking.
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, at the Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan;, Email: emiko-fukumoto@m.tohoku.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Oral Health and Development Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.affiliation: Community Medical Network Center, Nagasaki University Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Furugen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashida
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Youichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health, Unit of Social Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005386:Fingersucking; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D041361:Pacifiers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012424:Rural Population; D062410:Snacks; D014505:Urban Population