Breast Feeding and Lowering the Risk of Crossbites
Breastfeeding has enjoyed a revival of popularity among young mothers in the last twenty years, primarily due to its health benefits. Conclusive evidence shows that breast milk is the best food for infants; commercial formulas can never replace the antibodies and other nutrients produced by the mother herself. However, new studies have shown another benefit of breastfeeding: it may be responsible for preventing orthodontic problems in children.
Crossbites, which refer to misalignments in which the teeth protrude too far beyond the toothline, or protrude backward behind the toothline, come in several varieties. Unilateral crossbites occur on one side of the mouth, and bilateral crossbites occur on both sides.
Crossbites, in particular, seem to occur more often in children who were never breastfed, or who were breastfed only for a short period of time. In a recent study from Brazil, crossbites of all types were found in 31% of children who were never breastfed, as opposed to 8.3% in children breast-fed for twelve months. To gain maximum benefit, doctors recommend breastfeeding for a minimum of six months, and ideally for more than twelve.
Doctors speculate that the reason for this benefit is the reflexive actions involved in breastfeeding. Bottle nipples are not as effective at developing the facial bones and muscles of the infant; breastfeeding, on the other hand, causes the jaw to grow in proper alignment, which results in better-aligned teeth.
In the Brazilian study, unilateral crossbites occurred more often than bilateral crossbites. This further suggests that the sucking action created with a bottle nipple tends to force the baby to drink to one side or the other. Breastfeeding, however, results in a more direct sucking motion which helps to keep the teeth aligned.
Breastfeeding also discourages non-nutritive sucking. This means that babies who are breastfed are less likely to suck their thumbs or other objects for comfort. Non-nutritive sucking has also been shown to contribute to malocclusion, or misalignment of the teeth.
If your child is suffering from any type of misalignment, a pediatric dentist can exam your child’s teeth and suggest the proper type of orthodontic treatment to fix the problem.
Source: Dentist Los Angeles
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