breastfeeding and mercury fillings

[weeonion]

Hi folks. Dd2 is 6 months and have only just made it to dentist to avail of free dental treatment. Found out I need 3 fillings - 2 root canal which will need removal of existing fillings and replacement / further work.
dentist wont do them whilst I am breastfeeding dd2.

they aren't causing me much pain at the mo' but as I hope to feed her until at least 1 year - bit worried about how it might be.

anyone else gave experience of needing fillings whilst breastfeeding??

I'm sure I had a filling when either pg or bf-ing... I was doing one or the other for bloody years and I definitely had dental work! Maybe the advice has changed...

Is it feasible for you to ask the dentist how long you would have to avoid using your breastmilk, express and freeze enough to tide you over, and express and chuck the stuff you can't use to maintain your supply? If it's only a case of a few days or a week, and your DD is eating gloop/solids, it might be manageable.

PS: I found this link. Look at the reply from the biologist: she's not worried!
forums.llli.org/showthread.php?117245-Breastfeeding-and-amalgam-filling

Ta mehsmum - really useful. Going to see dentist next week so will talk it through. X

Search breastfeeding Network and fillings. My dentist made me get temporaries but reading the advice - proper ones are fine. Now I have to have them all done again!

Your dentist needs to be better informed. Dear me. What rubbish.

I had a filling while breastfeeding - scheduled appt for nap time but little madam had other ideas! Dentist didn't bat an eyelid. It was an amalgam though so perhaps there's something different about Mercury ones? He wouldn't do an x ray with her there though, even if she was out of the room at the time.

Oh, sorry forgot to mention I specifically asked whether the anaesthetic he used (lidocaine I think) went into milk and he said no so that can't be it either.

I had a root canal treatment while breastfeeding. I told the endodontist I was breastfeeding and he said it was fine but he would keep an eye on the amount of anaesthetic he used.

I've had fillings (and a wisdom tooth removal) whilst breastfeeding.

Get composite/porcelain fillings instead of amalgam ones.

I wouldn't get amalgam ones anyway, bf or not.

Why put a poison into your body unnecessarily?

I've just had two and am bfeeding. Needed X-rays a while ago and dentist told me to come back after baby way born but no probs with bfeeding

Hi folks. I haven't been online so couldn't respond for a while.

thanks for responses.

dentist says problems arise as i need fillings replaced so its not so much the new fillings going in but the process of drilling out and removing existing. I asked about paying extra to get white / porcelain done but she still said no.

she still wants me to wait until i finish bf before getting this work done. I am starting to get some toothache so looks like if i want her to treat me, i stop bf.
other option more likely is find new dentist who will treat me.

I think what she has said is sensible tbh. More mercury is released during the removal of a filling than during the entire lifespan of an amalgam filling and the concern is that the blood brain barrier isn't very good in children. A minuscule and possibly theoretical risk but one that some dentists aren't willing to take.

White fillings are just as "poison" as silver ones athena so perhaps concentrate on preventing the holes in your teeth rather than having to choose between poisons.

Mrsmorton - of course prevention is better but as the damage is now done to my teeth and fillings are needed - i have to deal with it.