Natural feeding has a number of benefits for general health of the child due to, inter alia, presence of immune factors and antibacterial, anti‑inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect. In addition, breastfeeding stimulates the muscles responsible for normal development of the stomatognathic system and consequently also the articulation. However, the literature data indicates various opinions of the authors concerning the relationship between natural feeding and the occurrence of early childhood caries. The aim of the paper was to provide information on the impact of mother's milk to the child's dentition. Cited authors emphasize that guidelines concerning feeding of infants and young children do not show a clear and optimal deadline for completion of breastfeeding. There is a lack of unanimity on the effects of prolonged breastfeeding as a key factor to promote the development of caries due to considerable complexity of the situation related to the expansion of the diet and individual features.

Key words: breastfeeding, early childhood caries.