This study investigated the prevalence of oral habits in children with clefts aged three to six years, compared to a control group of children without clefts in the same age range, and compared the oral habits between children with clefts with and without palatal fistulae. The sample was composed of 110 children aged 3 to 6 years with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and 110 children without alterations. The prevalence of oral habits and the correlation between habits and presence of fistulae (for children with clefts) were analyzed by questionnaires applied to the children caretakers. The cleft influenced the prevalence of oral habits, with lower prevalence of pacifier sucking for children with cleft lip and palate and higher prevalence for all other habits, with significant association ( ). There was no significant association between oral habits and presence of fistulae ( ). The lower prevalence of pacifier sucking and higher prevalence of other oral habits agreed with the postoperative counseling to remove the pacifier sucking habit when the child is submitted to palatoplasty, possibly representing a substitution of habits. There was no causal relationship between habits and presence of palatal fistulae. 1. Introduction The manner how children are raised is very important for their full development, general health, and inclusion or exclusion of costumes and habits. Habit is a behavior acquired by the frequent repetition or physiologic exposure with regularity [1]. Related to the mouth, it is commonly observed in children and may be harmful when excessively repeated or in more vulnerable ages. They often involve patterns of muscle contraction and may contribute to the etiology of malocclusion, because they affect the entire orofacial region. In the presence of habits, the duration of the applied force is the most critical variable to be analyzed, because the longer the duration, the greater will be the impact on the dentition, musculature, and bone structure [2]. Considerable differences are observed in the prevalence of habits throughout the world. Traditions, cultural influences, and child raising are possible factors that influence their prevalence. The prevalence of sucking habits in Brazil seems to vary between states because of differences in culture, ethnicity, and lifestyle [3]. The period of breastfeeding has been indicated as a possible cause of nonnutritive sucking habits [3]. Holanda et al. [4] stated that breastfeeding for longer than six months is considered a protective factor against the persistence of pacifier use but
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