Breastfeeding and interdental spacing in primary dentition: a digital cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Interdental spacing in the primary dentition is a key physiological feature that facilitates proper eruption and alignment of permanent teeth. While genetic factors play a central role, environmental influences such as early feeding practices may also affect jaw development and spacing, although quantitative evidence is limited.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between early feeding practices-including breastfeeding, formula feeding, bottle and pacifier use, and timing of complementary feeding-and interdental spacing in the primary dentition.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 52 children aged 3-5 years. Digital intraoral scans were obtained using an iTero Element 2® scanner, and 18 interdental spaces per child were digitally measured using Orthocad® software. Parents completed structured questionnaires detailing their children's feeding history. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparative tests.

Results: The largest mean interdental spaces were observed in the primate areas, specifically between the left lateral incisor and canine in the maxilla (0.756 mm) and between the left canine and first molar in the mandible (0.356 mm). No statistically significant associations were found between feeding variables and interdental distances (p > 0.05). However, a consistent trend toward larger interdental spaces was observed in children with prolonged breastfeeding compared to those with shorter or no breastfeeding, in line with proposed physiological mechanisms.

Conclusion: Early feeding practices were not significantly associated with interdental spacing in the primary dentition. Nevertheless, the observed trends suggest that prolonged breastfeeding may positively influence interdental spacing, highlighting the need for larger and longitudinal studies to further investigate the role of environmental factors in dental arch development.