A Cross-Sectional Study
IFEANYI DAVID OKOYE, AN advanced-standing DMD candidate at Temple Dental, is researching the relationship between infant feeding practices, oral hygiene behaviors, and the presence of oral fungal colonization. In this study of 62 caregiver–infant dyads, we evaluated feeding patterns, oral hygiene habits, and history of oral thrush in relation to intraoral fungal detection. While feeding type, duration, and brushing frequency were not significantly associated with fungal presence, infants with a history of oral thrush and those fed at night had significantly higher odds of fungal colonization. These findings highlight the potential clinical importance of early feeding behaviors and medical history in understanding microbial patterns in infancy.