Abstract

MURRIETA-PRUNEDA, José Francisco et al. Prevalence of non-nutritive buccal habits in a group of preschool children in Nezahualcoyotl City, Mexico (2009). Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2011, vol.68, n.1, pp.26-33. ISSN 1665-1146.

Background. A habit is any activity done regularly and unconsciously, which is acquired by experience. Non-nutritive buccal habits are important because they can interfere with the development of dental occlusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of non-eating buccal habits in a group of preschool children. Methods. An epidemiological, cross-sectional and descriptive study to evaluate the clinical signs of non-nutritive buccal habits was performed by one previously calibrated examiner (intra-examiner kappa = 0.95). A questionnaire was completed for 211 preschool children from the information obtained in two stages: 1) parents of the children completed a questionnaire, and 2) the clinical evaluation of the children was registered by the examiner. Results. Of the studied population, 68.2% showed at least one non-nutritive buccal habit. Onychophagia was the habit with the highest prevalence. The relationship between age and prevalence of non-nutritive buccal habits was statistically significant, whereas gender was not statistically significant. Conclusions. There was a high prevalence of non-nutritive buccal habits not associated with the age of the child.

Keywords : preschool children; prevalence; dental occlusion; non-nutritive buccal habits.

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