INFLUENCE OF BREASTFEEDING ON OROFACIAL DEVELOPMENT, IMMUNE RESPONSE, AND MICROBIOTA IN EARLY CHILDHOO

Abstract

Breastfeeding provides nutrients and bioactive components capable of interacting with different processes involved in child development. This integrative review aimed to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the influence of breastfeeding on orofacial development, immune response, and the microbiota in early childhood. The review was structured according to the stages proposed for integrative reviews, with a search strategy planned for PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, and SciELO, covering the period from September 2021 to September 2026. Primary human studies that related breastfeeding to at least one of the outcomes of interest were considered. The findings indicated an association between breastfeeding and characteristics of craniofacial growth and occlusion, although non-nutritive sucking habits, especially pacifier use, were important modifiers of this relationship. Regarding the immunological domain, differences were observed in cytokines, cellular populations, serum biomarkers, and gene expression pathways according to feeding pattern. In relation to the microbiota, breastfeeding was associated with differences in the composition and developmental trajectory of oral and intestinal microbial communities, with particular emphasis on bifidobacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. It is concluded that breastfeeding is associated with multiple dimensions of child development; however, methodological heterogeneity and the predominance of observational studies require caution when interpreting the causal nature of the findings.