Extended breastfeeding causes tooth decay

[Feenie]

I know that it doesn't, and yes, this is a thread about a thread. But it would seem that many dentists are giving this advice, despite the fact that no research has ever been able to link the two - my own dentist included. Why?

Because society is, on the whole, against breastfeeding.
It's easier to blame something you don't understand, than defend something you don't like, or think is weird and wrong.

Because they don't differentiate between formula and breastmilk, I suppose.

Not seen the other thread though.

That makes me sound like I have a chip on my shoulder. I don't, honestly :o

Could you link to the other thread please?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1547531-to-think-this-little-girl-badly-needs-to-dental-treatment-Should-I-say-anything

The 1999 Erickson study (in which healthy teeth were immersed in different solutions) indicated that breastmilk alone was practically identical to water and did not cause tooth decay ?another experiment even indicated that the teeth became stronger when immersed in breastmilk. However, when a small amount of sugar was added to the breastmilk, the mixture was worse than a sugar solution when it came to causing tooth decay.

Because of this I expect, effectively every time you breastfeed, unless you have thoroughly cleaned teeth first, you are giving your toddler/child a very sugary snack.

Breastmilk alone does not cause decay, breastmilk and other foods does.

I should have added, it's not that it's any worse than many other drinks, it's just that it's not better (in tooth decay terms)

Most of the comments deal specifically with night time feeding though - and presumably children would have had their teeth cleaned before bedtime.

Kellymom comes up trumps again!

Yes, I posted that link on the first thread

My dentist told me this. She prescribed antibiotics and I mentioned I was breastfeeding a 6 month old. She looked at me like I had 2 heads and explained that I had to choose between the 'unnecessary' breast feeding or tooth decay. I felt terrible and she waved me out of her office saying "It's up to you to do what you think is best, but tooth decay in children is often completely avoidable."

Even without the scientific data to back it up, it just doesn't make sense. Why would we have evolved in a way that our baby's main food made all their teeth fall out? Sure, it's the breastmilk- not the sugar, refined carbs and dried fruit. Sure.

Mine said that ds's tooth decay in two teeth on one side was due to bfeeding until he was three, specifically at night. He said 'I bet he had a favourite side, didn't he?' and was most put out when we established that the favourite side was the opposite one to where the milk would have pooled in his pet theory.

As if I needed another reason to feel guilty

I thought they had establish dental caries are contagious as the bacteria (strep mutans ??) is pass-on-able. I don't know about many people here but I have never put my breasts in my mouth, either directly before a feed or otherwise, but I have seen many, many people suck dummies 'clean' or put the bottle teat in their mouth to hold the bottle if they have both hands occupied....

I waited with DD1 & DD2's dentist until after she had proclaimed their teeth perfect before 'admitting' that DD1 bf until 3y 6m and DD2 was 'still' bfing at 2y+. She was amazed they weren't rotten and couldn't understand how their front teeth weren't rotten (because my nipple goes in their mouth to the back, it doesn't get placed just between their lips like a straw.....).