Although breastfeeding is known for its many benefits, continuing to breastfeed a child after a certain age may hurt him. Read the news to learn more.
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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breastfeeding a
child for more than two years may cause tooth decay or may increase his chances
of developing it later, according to a new study by a group of researchers. The
study was published in the journal Pediatrics.
The researchers followed up about 1,000
children in Brazil, who were surveyed, focusing on their feeding habits and
sugar consumption. At the age of five, they were subjected to tests to test the
health of their teeth, in terms of acute or mild tooth decay or loss the teeth.
The researchers found that children whose
mothers continued to breastfeed for a period of two years or more were 2.5
times more likely to have severe tooth decay than their peers, who did not
exceed their normal general breastfeeding.
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The researchers hypothesized that the
reason for this is that children who breastfeed for a period of two years or
more are often breastfed by mothers on demand rather than need, as the child
usually wishes to feed late at night, which may make it difficult to keep clean
The baby's teeth should also, given the lateness of the time.
Previous studies have suggested that
breast-feeding reduces the chances of asthma and childhood obesity, and helps
his mouth and jaw to take the right shape for his teeth, or what dentists call
a healthy tooth bite.
What does all this mean? It will not hurt
your baby to breastfeed for up to two years, but breast feeding after reaching
that age is something that may hurt him more than it may help him. Controversy
over the duration of breastfeeding for child health is still ongoing.
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