Dentist said to stop nursing and I'm devastated

[gamerchik]

Hi,

My daughter is 16.5 months and has always been a great nurser. However, I noticed some brown "stains" on her teeth near her gums so we went to the dentist. He said she has cavities on all 4 of her top front teeth and that we needed to stop nursing (especially night nursing). We brush her teeth 2X each day with a toothbrush and training toothpaste and she only eats fruits and veggies and doesn't drink juice or anything. Due to her weak enamel, the breast milk caused the cavities. He put a varnish on her teeth and prescribed fluoride (there is none in the water in our area) and said we'd wait 3 months until her molars come in and then probably do a surgery to cap her front teeth.

As though all that weren't stressful enough, I am finding myself devastated about the idea of stopping nursing. I love nursing her and was hoping to go until 2 years or until she would self-wean. I didn't realize how precious those early morning/night feedings were to me until someone told me to stop. I feel like it's being ripped away from me and my heart is breaking.

To make it even more frustrating, she nurses to sleep for her naps and bedtime, so I don't know how to put her to bed without nursing. We sleep in a family bed, so it's not like I can just put her in the bed, she'd just stand up.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[madelsmama]

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

(note also the other links at bottom of link)

[Candi]

Typically bm does not cause tooth decay. It is probably her weak enamel that allowed it, along with heriditary factors. Switching to another drink (except water) is going to have the same problems.

Perhaps just give up the night feedings since she seems so vulnerable to tooth decay. I don't see why she still can't nurse during the day.

BTW, my dentist wouldn't have capped the front teeth. Caps are just for appearance, and those teeth are only baby teeth. Seems like a lot to put a 16 month through.

[crystal555rose]

That is terrible! As madelsmama's link outlines, it is likely fruits and veggies lingering on the teeth that are causing decay. My little brother suffered from baby bottle syndrome by drinking a bottle of diluted juice all the time. My mom had his teeth capped because the dentist said that decayed baby teeth could result in decay of the adult teeth before they even came in completely (bacteria transfer I suppose).

Sadly, my brother has a lot of anxiety associated with the dentist that his adult dentist believes is related to the invasive dental work he had as a two year old. I would ask what they can do to keep her comfortable during any procedures you end up receiving.

[gamerchik]

That is an interesting article. I don't know what to think. All I know is that I just want to do whatever is best for her and will protect her. She does have weak enamel, so I don't know if the night feedings would be dangerous. She doesn't use a bottle but I was hoping to try and introduce one with water for sucking on during the night. I have no idea if that would work.

[crystal555rose]

One more thought, my son no longer falls asleep at the breast. But he does use a pacifier. Perhaps you can work with her to nurse then get a tooth brushing then fall asleep. Is there any mouth rinse for kids? We drink filtered water but after brushing teeth I allow give him an ounce or two of our fluorinated municipal water as a "mouth wash".

If I were you I would eliminate nursing while lying down, I would follow any meal or nursing with water. I would probably also follow meals and nursing with a tooth brushing (nothing too exhausting, just a little brush). Sadly the decay has started and you must do something to keep her from having painful cavities or jeopardizing her adult teeth.

[nma]

In reading The Nursing Mother's Guide To Weaning, one of the reasons listed to possibly wean your toddler is tooth decay. Here is a quote from that section, "In recent years scientists have firmly established that breastfeeding doesn't cause tooth decay. Because the flow of milk from the mother's nipple occurs far back in the mouth and is controlled by the baby's sucking, the milk is swallowed, reflexively, before it can pool in t he mouth. And, unlike milk from a bottle, breast milk doesn't drip into the mouth after a baby stops sucking. Besides, whereas formula causes cavities- breast milk, by itself does not; in fact, it can actually build enamel by depositing calcium and phosphorus on the teeth."
This is a great book and only around $12, it may help you in your choice to continue breastfeeding. It can help dispel some of the myths used as reasons to stop breastfeeding. I really hope that this will help you and your daughter.

[StaciMN]

and its side effects before feeding it to your daughter. It can be really harmful and no one tells you that.

[KerryS]

Topical fluoride helps with remineralization of small cavities.

[Candi]

and its side effects before feeding it to your daughter. It can be really harmful and no one tells you that.


But it seems as though this child is at a very high risk for cavities, much of it possibly genetic. This would be one case where I would make an exception.

[BoobySnacks]

DD developed this as her top teeth were coming in. I am incredibly anal about dental hygeine. I was also told by a dentist to stop nursing. I sought a second opinion and it ended up being weakened enamel and Tetracycline staining due to a persistent ear infection for which she had to be tried on a couple of different antibiotics when she was just starting to cut teeth. I never failed in brushing her teeth, it just happened anyway, so I understand where you are coming from. I nursed DD until he was just over 3 yrs. I am now continuing to nurse our 2 yr old son and he shows no signs of this what-so-ever..same nursing habits and same brusing habits, but never had Tetracycline. I know now that is what happened to DD.

[gamerchik]

Hi there! I thought I would post an update. We night-weaned our daughter the week we went to the dentist and it was surprisingly easy. Now, if she wakes up during the night, I just put my arms around her and she goes right back to sleep. She is sleeping better and waking less frequently. Apparently, she didn't need those 4-5 night feedings at all and was just doing it out of habit.

We also found a way to make her sleep without nursing at night; my husband or I just turn down the lights and walk around the living room slowly with her and she goes to sleep within 5-10 minutes. So the last thing on her teeth at night is her fluoride right after brushing. :)

The dentist said it was fine to continue nursing during the day but to try and do it at mealtimes. This has been a challenge since she is teething (molars) and wants to nurse constantly. We are vigilant about rinsing/wiping her teeth after meals and after nursing, and he was supportive of that idea. We let her nurse to sleep for her 1 hour nap but otherwise we rinse her mouth after every meal or nursing. We're trying to figure out how to make her sleep for naps without nursing. We kind of needed to tackle one thing at a time, if you know what I mean. We brush twice a day and it's going pretty well.

All things considered, as sad as I was about night-weaning, I actually think it is a good thing. I'm pleased by how smoothly it went and DD is eating more food during the day now, too.

Thank you to everyone who posted advice and support! :)

[crystal555rose]

Congrats! That is great!!

[tifttu]

I'm glad things are going well. I was told by one dentist that my child had to wean immediately (he was a little over a year old), be strapped to a board and have his teeth repaired. I cried and went to another dentist who said he would need to wean and go under sedation to have his teeth repaired. We moved and I went to another dentist who said to wean and start using a very small amount of regular kids flouride toothpaste. We did the toothpaste and when we went back he said, "Oh, I see you weaned. That's great, the decay has stopped it's progression." We never weaned, never even cut back. Just did the toothpaste and vigilant cleaning.

He's 4 now and still doesn't have great teeth, but we've been able to stay on top of any issues that arrise (he is weaned now) without any invasive work. So, I think that there are a lot of different options out there for parents. I'm so glad you found one that worked for you.

[Nurseliz]

Here is a research based articale from a Dentist named Dr.Palmer. He has done extensive research to support breastfeeding and debunks the MYTH that breastfeeding influences tooth decay.
http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/three_presentations/Caries%20only%20-%20B&W.pdf
Hope this helps,
Liz Pevytoe RN, IBCLC

[goingon5kids]

Typically bm does not cause tooth decay. It is probably her weak enamel that allowed it, along with heriditary factors. Switching to another drink (except water) is going to have the same problems.

Perhaps just give up the night feedings since she seems so vulnerable to tooth decay. I don't see why she still can't nurse during the day.

BTW, my dentist wouldn't have capped the front teeth. Caps are just for appearance, and those teeth are only baby teeth. Seems like a lot to put a 16 month through.


Sorry- but your wrong. If you do not take care of infant/baby teeth then that sets up the perm. teeth for failure. My youngest of 4 had the same problem as the OP and had to have surgery. Caps are NOT for looks. They are what keep the rest of the tooth from rotting. If you let the teeth continue to be at risk ( which they would be if not covered ) then eventually the tooth would break down and well, this person/child would be in horrific pain.
The dentist would need to build the enamel back up on those effected teeth, then cap them. The caps stay on until the permante teeth come in.
My daughter had this surgery right after turning two.
My dentist did NOT say to stop nursing completely- as he knew that would be very ard on her. But he said to stop night nursing. Then during the day wipe down her teeth with a wet washcloth etc..
This is called Nursing Caries..and yes BM can cause this- especially if you drink too much sugary drinks, fruit drinks etc..especially if the child does too.
Please talk to your dentist again if you dont completely understand the severity of this :O)
Hope that helps getting info from someone who has experienced this first hand.

[goingon5kids]

i need to mention too that my daughters two front teeth actually had an indent in between the two from the cavities..so not just spots, but actual breakin down of the teeth.

[Candi]

Sorry- but your wrong. If you do not take care of infant/baby teeth then that sets up the perm. teeth for failure. My youngest of 4 had the same problem as the OP and had to have surgery. Caps are NOT for looks. They are what keep the rest of the tooth from rotting. If you let the teeth continue to be at risk ( which they would be if not covered ) then eventually the tooth would break down and well, this person/child would be in horrific pain.
The dentist would need to build the enamel back up on those effected teeth, then cap them. The caps stay on until the permante teeth come in.
My daughter had this surgery right after turning two.
My dentist did NOT say to stop nursing completely- as he knew that would be very ard on her. But he said to stop night nursing. Then during the day wipe down her teeth with a wet washcloth etc..
This is called Nursing Caries..and yes BM can cause this- especially if you drink too much sugary drinks, fruit drinks etc..especially if the child does too.
Please talk to your dentist again if you dont completely understand the severity of this :O)
Hope that helps getting info from someone who has experienced this first hand.


Ah, sorry, I didn't think caps stopped decay. I totally understand about needing to take care of baby teeth. My daughter bumped her front tooth and it started to decay so we pulled it(well, the pedi dentist did). It was quick and easy.

[Buggiesmommie]

Second opinion! Second opinion! Second opinion! I saw an article where many dentists were suggesting all sorts of different procedures that were really unneccesary. But do what you think you should do that will benefit your family the most. .

[gamerchik]

Hi there!

I thought I'd come back and post another update.

My daughter is now almost 23 months old -- she had her dental surgery last week and it went *perfectly.* Her teeth (top front four caps) look absolutely GORGEOUS. Now, not only are her teeth in perfect shape going forward, but she will be able to smile with the confidence she deserves because her teeth look beautiful. It is such a relief knowing that her teeth are now healthy and she has received such excellent care from her dentist.

As I said before, we did night-wean her immediately which was so much easier than we thought it would be (and had the added benefit of putting her on a completely predictable bedtime schedule, whereas before, we had to hope she'd fall asleep while nursing).

It was great to keep day-nursing until she weaned herself naturally at 21 months. Our dentist was supportive of that decision and just advised us to try and nurse with meals.

I know that some considered the procedure to be arbitrary, but let me just say this: we did extensive research into our daughter's situation and were in constant communication with her dentist, who at every step of the way was kind, informative and understanding. I developed a great relationship with him and trust him very much, and I'm so glad that he was the one to do the surgery.

We did not rush into the decision nor did we make it blindly. We did what we thought was best for our daughter and what we felt would keep her teeth -- baby teeth and adult teeth -- as healthy as possible.

To those who would suggest that breast milk "does not cause decay," well...I have to disagree. I think that for most children, it certainly does NOT. Our dentist agreed that most kids can night-nurse for years without any problems. But our daughter had weak enamel, and the pattern of decay across those top 4 front teeth *clearly* demonstrated the typical patterns of decay caused by night-nursing or bottles. We caught the decay relatively early -- at 16 months -- but if it had been left untreated and we had continued night-nursing, it is likely that those teeth would have crumbled and decayed very quickly.

Anyway, it's important to remember that every situation is different and there is no right and wrong answer for every child. We made informed decisions for our daughter. It is great to have the surgery behind us (it was so quick...an hour and a half and she was just fine, no side effects from the anesthesia and with beautiful, healthy teeth) and to know that her teeth are in wonderful shape. :)

[tifttu]

I am so glad to hear that all is going well! It sounds like you have a great dentist and happy results all the way around.

[crystal555rose]

That is wonderful! I agree that it is naive to assume that breastmilk does not cause decay when all else is ruled out and there is clearly a pattern of decay. We all make different milk and we all have different teeth. Studies that show breastfeeding does not promote decay, like all studies, are about trends in a population. Not individuals and their unique situation.

I am glad you got such good results with minimal stress to your little one.

[tonimk19]

I agree with the above Mamas. I wouldn't give much thought to your dentist.

[Samantha234]

I am so glad she's doing better now and that her teeth are healthy and looking great.

I know our pediatrician said to night wean on anything but water as soon as our son got his teeth. She said that the sugar content in breastmilk and formula sit on the teeth at night without being washed away by brushing and such so it can be very harmful to weakened spots in the enamel. I was apprehensive about night weaning and thinking about how we could get our son back to sleep when he woke up but she told me that by a certain age babies are physically able to go through the night without eating so him waking up was most likely a comfort thing anyway.

[Amy_G_]

eh breastmilk itself is protective of teeth, killing the gingivitis and bacteria that likes to damage teeth. However if there are any solids left on the teeth, the breastmilk "eats" the solids and then what is leftover combined with the breastmilk may interact negatively with the teeth and cause more damage. so the moral of the story is to brush the teeth before bed, and THEN nurse.