feeding to sleep = tooth decay???

[milkymumma]

I took 4mo DS to the mchn on Monday, and she told me I need to stop feeding him to sleep. I thanked her for the advice, and said that we are quite comfortable with our sleeping arrangements. But apparently at this age they form habits very easily, and many co-sleeping babies who have milk on tap all night end up with black teeth. :confused1
Is this true?
Any insight would be very much appreciated, I'm feeling lost!

[lizlea]

true if it is a bottle in their mouth all night - but not a boob!

[milkymumma]

That's what I thought Liz! I have never heard of it being boob-related.

[chooky]

I have read up a bit on this as I had a friend told that same thing by her dentist.... but booby to sleep does NOT cause tooth decay despite what the dentists etc willl tell you. It seems there is actually less cases of tooth decay in BF over bottle fed infants/toddlers. My understanding is that there are many other factors involved that cause the decay.

[Rach]

Bullshit propaganda... sorry to be so blunt but I am so TIRED of the massive myth spreading regarding breastfeeding. If anything, breastmilk has protective factors against tooth decay...

[Madi]

ITA with Rach. If BF caused tooth decay, the human race would have died out long ago.

[marmee]

Load of hogswash. I wish that these "specialists" would get their facts right before spreading nonsense like this.

Check this great article out

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/tooth-decay.html

[milkymumma]

Oh phew, thanks for that everyone! And what an interesting article, thank you for the link marmee. :)

ETA: I will print off the article to take in to the clinic next time

[Rinelle]

I'd just stop going to the clinic. We gave it up after a horrible sleep school (where we expected to get some help with a refluxy baby). There is no real reason to go to the MCHN. If you want to do checkups, a doctor is just as qualified to do them. Of course, doctors often have just as much misinformation.

[milkymumma]

No, I wasn't planning on continuing to go, T... but I figure I may as well get them to sign the CO form first. ;)

I haven't been satisfied with the system at all, especially after a bossy student mchn told me that the only reliable place for vax info is the Victorian government website. I told her I was disappointed with the lack of information on said website. :2lol:sarcastic

[Astra]

I have heard that it is the new policy of the Australian Dentistry Association that babies should be weaned by 12 months (I think that's right). I was very unimpressed to say the least when I hear that they had taken this stance.

I have heard of one mum whos daughter ended up with rotting teeth from feeding at night but it is rare. Usually breastmilk is protective but she thought it was because her little one would stay attached to the boob well after feeding and breastmilk must have been coming into contact with her teeth for most of the night. If your baby unlatches (is that a word?) straight after feeding then I really can't see how it could cause a problem. It is the extended contact of sugary fluid with the teeth that is the problem.

[milkymumma]

12 months? Oh, poo to that!! :rules:glare

[Bron]

astra, breastmilk doesn't drip from the breast. if the baby isn't actively sucking, no milk comes out. that child is more likely to have had genetic risks, or risks from illness or medication taken during pregnancy. breastmilk doesn't even touch the teeth, it shoots straight to the back of the mouth. that's why you don't see milk all over the tongue, jsut at the back. (assuming child is attached properly, but at an older age, they'd have it right :) ).

www.brianpalmerdds.com is another fabulous site. this man, an american dentist, has been studying this for over 20 years. another is yvonne luxford, who wrote 'the tooth fairy was breastfed'. (google or might be on the ABA site)

[Bron]

http://mumsright.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=LRC%20Podcast (podcast of her article)

[Mercurious]

the milk doesn't go on the teeth, if you have seen how a nipple is stretched into a baby's mouth during feeding it is sucked down the throat, not into the mouth. If you are concerned you can wipe over with a wet washer afterwards, that to me would make more sense that weaning. There is a lot more of the baby to benefit from feeding to warrant stopping it because there might or might not be a threat to the teeth.

I'm with Madi - babies have been fed this way for ever.

If there is a dental issue with a breastfeeding baby, I'd suggest it is a dental issue, the fact that it is a breastfeeder is coincedental.

[Astra]

I guess I didn't really think about it very hard Bron but you're right, it doesn't quite make sense.

I have noticed that my baby never seems to have any tatar build up on his teeth (unlike me!) except on the odd occasion he decides to try solids.

[cherish]

I've had a few that feed to sleep- no black teeth here..

I didn't realize a MCH could give a CO..

[milkymumma]

I didn't realize a MCH could give a CO..
apparently it's quite a recent change. not sure whether it's the case everywhere, I'm in Melb...

[Bron]

what's a CO?

niccola and xanthia are both at risk of decay. x has had her teeth fixed under a general. n has silver crowns on two teeth. but not from being breastfed to sleep. with n, i was very very sick at 15 weeks and had to have ABx (or died). her enamel is very weak hence the crowns. with x, i have no doubt her dairy allergy is the cause.

[Mercurious]

DD is quite fond of her "sparkly teeth" (metal crowns).

[milkymumma]

Bron, CO => conscientious objection (to vaccination)

[Bron]

thanks :)

[mummabare]

DJ is fed to sleep ( for a number of years) and has tooth decay on his bubba teeth. They came through pitted and brown ( which mine were as a child also and I was not fed to sleep). So I suspect it has a hell of alot to do with genetics and bacteria in the mouth that causes tooth decay ( which they say can be passed on from mother to child).

FWIW, DJ has new bottom teeth fully erupted and has continued to bf through those two and neither have tooth decay. (yay).

[Madi]

"DD is quite fond of her "sparkly teeth" (metal crowns). "

Hudson calls his 'robot teeth' lol.

[Pinky]

Okay first of all, I believe in bfing until the child wishes to ween. But yes breastmilk at night can indeed cause tooth decay. Before you all scream bullshit let me explain. First of all 20% of the pop will get 80% of the cavities. Certain people are predisposed to it. There is a saliva test they can do to tell you whether or not your child is at risk. Another factor is the pooling of the milk around the teeth. Some kids do get mouth full of milk my son does this sometimes he comes off the breast and the milk spills out, my daughter never did.

The last thing, and I think you'll find this interesting, is that exclusivley breastfed babies do not get caviities, even if the milk pools around their teeth. It is only after other food is introduced that cavities occur. We know that having a diet high in sugar increases risk and not just beacause it is on the teeth but the body's chemistry changes and becomes more suseptable.

So yes breastmilk at night can cause tooth decay. But before you give the night feedings ask yourself of your child pools his milk. During the day what is his diet like? Fruit and carbs that turn to sugar quickly should be low priority. And ask for the saliva test. Even if your child eats only fruit, does pool his milk and is at risk for decay you can still nurse at night is you just wipe his teeth with a wet cloth over your finger.

[Pinky]

So I suspect it has a hell of alot to do with genetics and bacteria in the mouth that causes tooth decay ( which they say can be passed on from mother to child).
(yay).
you said it

[Astra]

That's a great answer Pinky. My son does the pooling of milk in his mouth thing. There is always a milk stain around where his head sits on the sheets (sounds lovely doesn't it!). Tooth decay is a bit of a problem for DH and I, where do you get the test done?

[Pinky]

I had it done at our dentist office. But I went into another pediatric dentist office and they'd never heard of it. You might have to do a bit of research. You can send an e- mail to my dentist and ask for the official name of the test to see if anyone in your area does it. Or just wipe his teeth after nursing if you are concerned. I used to do this with my daughter. At first it disrupted her sleep, but then she got used to it as part of the going to sleep ritual.

Also teeth wise, it is better to have one or two days a week that are "sugar days" when you can have as much sugary crap you want than to have just a little everyday. When your body has a break from sugar it can better protect your teeth than if it is constantly being assaulted with sugar.

[Pinky]

http://www.rubinoffsmightymolars.com/index.html