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mama_miel
10-22-2008, 12:38 AM
My baby was an early teether.
She was about 4 months old when we saw her first upper front teeth coming out.It was around one year old when I noticed a greenish line on the top front teeth, up around where they protruded from the gum. I thought it was a temporary discoloration and tried to clean it off. But it wasn’t until a month or so later that I realised it was some sort of marking that had broken through the enamel layer. I thought that the situation would right itself and in my naiveté basically didn’t worry about it. However as the months passed the size of the etched marking became larger.

To my horror and dismay she has developed what is known as ‘milk caries’.
The markings are spreading along all four front top teeth near to the gum, and they are eating away her teeth! . I am watching helplessly and in horror, as I was advised that there is no way to stop the decay once the enamel has been breached.

how did this happened?

My baby is a real ‘titty-monster’. She is not interested in eating much solidfoods. She is 16 months and all mostly just wants is the breast, even though she has a full set of front teeth and some molars. It does not seem to be a nutritional problem as she is large boned and solid bodied. My milk is obviously nutritious but seems to be the only possible factor contributing to decay.
I am a primal mother by orientation. In other words I am attracted to the most instinctive parenting methods.Breastfeeding seemed and felt to be the most natural way to feed and protect my babie...

I know i was told that there is no way in stoping this decay, but I want to slow it down. How can i wean her at night without going cold turkey? any tips will help. THANKS"bp"

blessedbythree
10-22-2008, 11:11 AM
I haven't done this myself but a friend told me that when she night weaned her children she would slowly decrease the amount of time she breastfed them each night. For example if baby is nursing at 1am and 4am she would nurse for 10 mins each time the first night and then 2 mins less each successive night until the child was no longer nursing. She said her babies tummies adjusted to not eating at night and their was little to no crying. Like I said haven't tried this myself but she said it worked for her.

trylyn5
10-22-2008, 12:13 PM
Tooth decay that isn't food or juice related at that age is usually hereditary TMU. Did either you or your dd's dad have bad teeth as a child?

Jacksmommy
10-22-2008, 12:21 PM
My understanding is that it's not breastmilk that causes tooth decay but the combination of food left on the teeth and breastmilk combined. I've always been told to brush baby's teeth before bed and after meals to prevent decay. Nursing, even night nursing, I was told, does not cause decay.