Any dentists?

[RJandA]

I'm due to have 2 fillings done, the dentist says she will give a local injection of lidocaine with adrenaline (lignocaine). She has advised me not to breastfeed for 24 hours afterwards.

Does anyone know if this is the correct advice? I would be wary of ignoring her advice based on what someone on a forum says of course, but if anyone can point me in the direction of any authoratitive sources then I would be very grateful.

TIA

I may have answered my own question.

Good old Kellymom says it is safe.

But I would still be interested if anyone has any knowledge or further backup for me to present to my dentist (she's going to love me )

Share this very reassuring factsheet on dental procedures with your dentist

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-in-breastmilk-information-and-factsheets.html

Scroll down to get the dental one.

I think it is shocking your dentist is telling you this - what part of the word 'local' does she not understand?

british national formulary says "present in milk but amount too small to be harmful", dentists usually refer to this AFAIK

Thank you tiktok, exactly what I was looking for.

I think they just say "24 hours" to be safe, then they don't need to actually look it up. Also DD is 11 months so perhaps she think it doesn't matter...

Also, having looked at the factsheet, I can start using mouthwash again! Can't remember who told me that I shouldn't, actually quite ashamed of myself for not checking it out now.

Thanks again.

x-post, thanks pyjamalover too

I was told when I had moles removed with the same local that bf is fine. brilliant fact sheet tiktok.

My dentist told me I couldn't have anything as I was feeding a baby under 6 months So I had a filling done without.

I had to have my wisdom teeth out under general anesthetic last year and I was told that I shouldn't breast feed for at least 24 hours afterwards but that it would be better to wait for 3 days. I wasn't convinced and so I contacted the hospitals liason service for more information and a very kind lady there spoke to an anesthetist for me. He explained that once I was awake and feeling clear headed the anesthetic would be at a low enough level in my circulation for me to feed safely although he advised waiting a couple of hours if I could to be sure the levels were as low as possible. He also sent me a pdf like the one in tiktoks link to reassure me. When I asked why I had been told to wait 24-72 hours they admitted that the staff in the day unit just don't know much about anesthetics or feeding so they just say 24-72 hours 'to be safe' rather than find out the actual answer. I was very - DD was EBF and refused a bottle so I was going to cancel the op and put up with the pain rather than be stressed about her not having any milk.

I would guess that your dentist is doing the same but I am and that these people give out bad advice just because they don't really understand. It is a LOCAL injection you are having for god's sake!

Oh, x-posted with loads of people there. Sorry for the rant, it just annoys me when medical professionals give incorrect info rather than admit they don't know something.

:(:( "the staff in the day unit just don't know much about anesthetics or feeding so they just say 24-72 hours 'to be safe' rather than find out the actual answer."

I agree - that's awful.

It is not safe either.

To give this advice means risking

• painful treatment for the mother (Moon who had a filling without a local)
• painful breasts with stopping bf (most people would be v. engorged and not everyone can express/pump)
• distressed baby
• dehydrated baby
• switching to formula temporarily or permanently with the associated health effects of that
• loss of confidence on the mother's part in her medical advisers when she finds out what a crock this advice is

And add to that list the risk of avoiding dental treatment when it's necessary.

I know - fortunately the liason service were fantastic (thanks to the mnetter who suggested contacting them!) and the anaesthetist was very helpful too. I have passed all my concerns on to the hospital complaints team and hopefully something will change.

Lazy advice is especially annoying because the period of free NHS dental is exactly the same as the minimum length of time the NHS recommend you breastfeed for!

Would be a good point if true, RanJ, but it isn't!

NHS has no minimum time to bf - excl to 6 mths and thereafter as long as the baby and mother want.

I think you get a year of free dental after the baby is born.

Poo, I thought NHS recommended as a minimum 6 months EBF and then continue alongside introduction of solids until at least 12 months. My mistake - I stand corrected!

That's right moonunit, hence the sudden rush on my part to have fillings done with a 11 month old.

They recommend breastmilk or breastmilk substitute (formula) until 12 months.

Humph. My GP told me to stop BFing and got to formula when we got thrush because "not every woman can breastfeed".

I was also given Nystatin and told that I didn't need treating, only babe.

I made a complaint to the Practice and told them I would not make a formal complaint only if they got their GPs on a BFing course that the local hospital BFing specialists were running especially for GPs .

Nothing to do with dentists, but just ignorance in HPs generally.

Moon, indeed they do recommend that.

RJandA, I think therefore you are right in saying that a year would be the minimum recommended time in the UK :)

Its just they don't actually say it like that!