title: Validation of Association between Breastfeeding Duration, Facial Profile, Occlusion, and Spacing: A Cross-sectional Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This cross-sectional retrospective study was designed to assess the relationships among breastfeeding duration, nonnutritive sucking habits, convex facial profile, nonspaced dentition, and distoclusion in the deciduous dentition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 415 children (228 males, 187 females) aged 4 to 6 years from a mixed Indian population was clinically examined by two orthodontists. Information about breastfeeding duration and nonnutritive sucking habits was obtained by written questionnaire which was answered by the parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chi-square test did not indicate any significant association among breastfeeding duration, convex facial profile, and distoclusion. Statistically significant association was observed between breastfeeding duration and nonspaced dentition and also between breastfeeding duration and nonnutritive sucking habits. Nonnutritive sucking habits had a statistically significant association with distoclusion and convex facial profile (odds ratio 7.04 and 4.03 respectively). Nonnutritive sucking habits did not have a statistically significant association with nonspaced dentition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The children breastfed < 6 months had almost twofold increased probability for developing sucking habits and nonspaced dentition, respectively, than the children who had breastfeeding > 6 months duration. It can also be hypothesized that nonnutritive sucking habits may act as a dominant variable in the relationship between breastfeeding duration and occurrence of convex facial profile and distoclusion in deciduous dentition. How to cite this article: Agarwal SS, Sharma M, Nehra K, Jayan B, Poonia A, Bhattal H. Validation of Association between Breastfeeding Duration, Facial Profile, Occlusion, and Spacing: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(2):162-166.
authors.affiliation: Dental Officer, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Indian Army Dental Corps, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Shiv Shankar
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Army Dental Centre (R&R), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Karan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nehra
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Army Dental Centre (R&R), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Balakrishna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jayan
authors.affiliation: Dental Officer, Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Army Dental Centre (R&R), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Anish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poonia
authors.affiliation: Dental Officer, Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Indian Army Dental Corps, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Hiteshwar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bhattal
keywords: Breastfeeding duration; Distoclusion; Nonnutritive sucking.