Non-nutritive sucking habits after three years of age: a case-control study

Non-nutritive sucking habits can result in negative consequences on the development of orofacial structures and occlusion.

Assess factors associated with non-nutritive sucking habits in children after 3 years old.

A case-control study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 638 children aged 3-6 years. In the second stage, a case-control study (1:2) was conducted. The case group included all children who presented some non-nutritive sucking habits in the first stage of the study (n = 110). The control group (n = 220) was made up of children who had never presented non-nutritive sucking habits, matched to the case group for gender and age. The data were collected during the national poliomyelitis vaccination campaign, through a questionnaire applied to parents/guardians with questions related to the presence of sucking habits, sociodemographic aspects, birth aspects, and early life of the child. Statistical analysis involved descriptive analysis, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, and conditional logistic regression.

Reduction in maternal education was a protective factor for the development of non-nutritive sucking habits (education ≤8 years OR = 0.38, CI 95%: 0.16, 0.89, P = 0.025). Prematurity (OR = 3.30, CI 95%: 1.13, 9.69, P = 0.030) and a longer period using a baby bottle (OR = 1.03, CI 95%: 1.01, 1.05, P = 0.006) remained associated with a greater possibility of the occurrence of sucking habits, regardless of monthly family income.

Non-nutritive sucking habits were associated with maternal education, premature birth, and greater time of bottle feeding in children after 3 years old.