Cariogenicidade do leite materno: mito ou evidência científica

• Autor(a) principal: Lemos, Leticia Vargas Freire Martins [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Correia, Marilia Ferreira [UNESP], Spolidorio, Denise Madalena Palomari [UNESP], Myaki, Silvio Issáo [UNESP], Zuanon, Angela Cristina Cilense [UNESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://revista.uepb.edu.br/index.php/pboci/article/view/1180; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/125710
• topic: Breast feeding; Dental caries; Diet; Cariogenic; Breast feeding; Dental caries; Cariogenic

Introduction: Breast-feeding has stood out as health care measure and is part of the Government’s National Health Policy, involving dental professionals. However, it has been suggested that breast milk could be a risk factor for the development of early childhood caries. Objective: The purpose of this report was to search for scientific evidence that would support or refute the statement that breastfeeding is associated with the development of early childhood caries. Method: Medline and SciELO databases were consulted to retrieve studies, ranging from laboratory investigations to epidemiological surveys, which relate breastfeeding to dental caries. The key words ‘breast-feeding’ and ‘dental caries’ were used on the reference search. There was no scientific evidence that could demonstrate a clear relationship between breast milk and cariogenicity. This is attributed to fact that dental caries is a multifactorial disease that is susceptible to multiple confusing factors, among which the early introduction of sucrose to the infant’s diet and late introduction of oral hygiene habits. The dentist should encourage exclusive breast-feeding because, in addition to the undeniable benefits to the child’s physical and psychological health, it contributes to a harmonic facial growth and prevents the development of atypical deglutition and malocclusions, in combination with early introduction of oral hygiene habits and noncariogenic diet. Conclusion: There is no scientific evidence to demonstrate an association between breast-feeding and early childhood caries.