Dental News - Fluoride reduces dental risk from minimal and extended breastfeeding, study says

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 17. May 2019

save

ADELAIDE, Australia: A recent study has examined the interaction between fluoridated water consumption and breastfeeding duration in relation to dental caries experience. The findings suggest that exposing children to fluoridated water may reduce the risk of dental caries.

According to a report published in the Oral health and dental care in Australia: key facts and figures, in 2010, 55 per cent of 6-year-olds had experienced dental caries in their primary teeth. The new research looked at dental caries in 5- and 6-year-olds in Australia and examined whether they had been exposed to fluoridated water or breastfed as infants and for what duration. The study used data collected in one of the largest and most comprehensive population-based studies of child oral health in Australia, the National Child Oral Health Study 2012–14.

The findings indicated that breastfeeding for over a month and up to 24 months was associated with good oral health. Minimal breastfeeding, which includes no breastfeeding or breastfeeding for less than one month, however, and extended breastfeeding beyond 24 months were both linked to increased dental cavities. However, these effects were lessened if children were exposed to fluoridated water.

“Breastfeeding is important not only for general health but also for the dental health of young children,” said senior author Dr Loc Giang Do, a professor in the Faculty of Health and Medical Science at the University of Adelaide’s Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health. “Minimal breastfeeding can increase risk for having dental decay in children, as can sustained breastfeeding beyond 24 months,” he added. “However, potential risk can be reduced by drinking fluoridated water in formula or ensuring that breastfed children are given fluoridated water to drink after the age of 6 months.”

According to Do, in fluoridated areas, breastfeeding can be recommended beyond the age of 24 months, while in non-fluoridated areas, breastfeeding for up to 24 months is recommended not only for child general health and development but also for child dental health. “The use of fluoridated tap water should be recommended for young children,” Do commented and added that the dental profession should support and even encourage mothers of infants to breastfeed.

The study, titled “Fluoridated water modifies the effect of breastfeeding on dental caries”, was published online on 11 April 2019 in the Journal of Dental Research, ahead of inclusion in an issue.

Tags:

To post a reply please login or register

Periodontitis could increase stroke risk, new study says

BELÉM, Brazil/RUGBY, UK: A recent study has investigated the association between stroke and periodontitis, one of the most common human diseases affecting ...

Oral health under threat from climate change, says new study

NEW DELHI, India: While the effects of climate change on general health are well documented, its impact on oral health remains less explored. A new scoping ...

Rinsing against SARS-CoV-2—one mouthwash reduces infection risk

LYON, France: In a study that is the first of its kind, researchers from Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University in Lyon in France have shown that Curaprox’s ...

Removing sweets from checkouts reduces overall unhealthy purchases, study finds

LONDON, UK: According to 2017 statistics released by the NHS, there were more than 40,000 hospital operations to extract teeth in children and teenagers in ...

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in dental offices very unlikely, study says

COLUMBUS, Ohio, U.S.: Researchers worldwide investigate COVID-19, and every week, new information about the illness is discovered or confirmed. A recent ...

Maintaining good oral health may reduce premature birth risk, study finds

SYDNEY, Australia: For some women, hormonal changes that occur owing to pregnancy can lead to oral health problems such as dental caries and periodontal ...

Dental procedures present low risk of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2—study

BRISTOL, UK: The largest study to date specifically measuring aerosol generation in dental settings found that many common procedures produced negligible ...

Reduced radiation dose in maxillofacial radiology yields comparable diagnostic results, study says

MALMÖ, Sweden: Radiographic diagnostics are widely used in healthcare as they provide diagnostically important information that can help improve treatment ...

Early preventive dental care may not reduce caries risk

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., USA: There is a recommendation for children to have a dental visit by 6 months of age, but there is insufficient evidence of improved ...

Alerting patients to disease risk improves dental hygiene and oral inflammation, study finds

LONDON, UK: As dentistry becomes more technologically advanced, the importance of having an informed patient continues to grow. With this in mind, a new ...

Education

Live webinar
Tue. 21 October 2025
3:00 pm EST (New York)

Reaching new levels in bone augmentation using Sculptoss^® Individulized ceramic membrane and GTO^®

Dr. Jonas Anderud Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Halmstad, Sweden – Department of Biomaterials, Gothenburg University, Sweden

Dr. Johan Malmström Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Halmstad, Sweden – Department of Biomaterials, Gothenburg University, Sweden – Brånemark Clinic Gothenburg, Sweden, Dr. Jonas Anderud Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Halmstad, Sweden – Department of Biomaterials, Gothenburg University, Sweden

1CE

Live webinar
Tue. 21 October 2025
7:00 pm EST (New York)