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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Dentist has told my friend to stop bf-ing by age 1 to protect baby's teeth - v angry!

34 replies

Jackstini · 29/11/2008 14:49

She bf'd her previous until age 3; he had a lot of probs with his teeth & had to have a lot taken out.
The dentist has told her not to bf past the age of 1, certainly not at night, to avoid this with the her youngest, (currently 5 mo-ish, excl bf)
Is he a very stupid man (wow I am being polite) and does anyone have any info on this issue?

OP posts:
LeakyDAISYcal · 29/11/2008 14:52

Some info here

I thought dentists were more clued up than that.......silly man.

Original poster
Jackstini · 29/11/2008 14:58

Thanks Leaky - will print that off for her

OP posts:
mumnosbest · 29/11/2008 15:07

My 4 YO's still got his teeth and 1 YO still bf with shiny white teeth. Is it too early to say? Maybe they'll all drop out soon!

onthewarpath · 29/11/2008 15:07

Thanks LeakyDASYcal

did not have written info, just life experience 4DCs all Bfed for 2 yrs, 1 of them has had to have 1 feeling last year (was 8 1/2) I am pretty sure it is not BFeeding related...

LyraSilvertongue · 29/11/2008 15:10

Actually, he might have a point.
Obviously she shouldn't give up BF altogether but maybe cutting out the night feeds will be kinder on his teeth. BM is very sugary after all. And a one-year-old doesn't really need night feeds any more.

LyraSilvertongue · 29/11/2008 15:11

Obviously she should continue to bf during the day for as long as her little boys wants to.

Original poster
Jackstini · 29/11/2008 15:20

Lyra - I believe he meant the last feed before bed. My 1 yo def still needed those!

OP posts:
LyraSilvertongue · 29/11/2008 16:01

Oh, ok. He's an idiot then. (my boys also still fed at bedtime till they were well over a year old)

whomovedmychocolate · 29/11/2008 16:04

He chose to spend his life staring into the gaping abyss which is people's mouths. Do you really, really think he is a good role model?

Seriously, what a lot of bollocks. Silly man!

SoupDragon · 29/11/2008 16:20

I switched all the SmallDragons into having their last feed then having their teeth cleaned when they had lots of teeth.

hercules1 · 29/11/2008 17:52

DOnt do it. I bf ds till 4 and had no problems with teeth (now 13). Dd was bf till 3 and has had to have very expensive work done on Harley street to her fron top 4 teeth due to bf at night despite not bf at night since younger than this. The problems werent picked up by a normal dentist - they said she was grinding her teeth and that was causing the damage. Fortunately we caught it in time before it affected her adult teeth (touch wood)

hercules1 · 29/11/2008 17:53

Sorry I dont mean stop bf I mean dont feed now after teeth brushed.

Original poster
Jackstini · 29/11/2008 18:08

lol wmmc!
Thanks Herc

OP posts:
treedelivery · 29/11/2008 18:12

The daft bugger

Unless someone has some dentistry knowledge otherwise, I say the daft bugger.

mumnosbest · 29/11/2008 20:31

It's easy to say don't feed them after they've cleaned their teeth but what do you do in the early hours when they wake up and need it? My DS was about 18 months when he stopped bf in the night/morning. DD is 15 months and still needs it.

hercules1 · 29/11/2008 20:33

I disagree. They don't need it at this age. Far better to protect their teeth.

mumnosbest · 29/11/2008 21:01

I wish some1 would tell my DD she doesn't need it! I'm not being feeble, I've tried control crying and giving water but she only settles after a feed at about 4am. She wont take much in the day so makes up for it at night I think.

treedelivery · 29/11/2008 22:36

I often have a drink of juice or milk in the night - occasionally a biscuit - my teeth haven't fallen out or rotted away to stumps.

Some parents happily put their babes to bed with baby bottlesof coke, I know because a patient at work told me that's what she did and she saw nothing wrong with it -

I'd say on balance your friend is taking fab care of your childrens teeth and that breast feeding is great and that on balance chances are they wont be toothless by 10.

Surely? I hope so anyway because I can't say I spend my life on tooth patrol either!!

Original poster
Jackstini · 29/11/2008 23:04

no - me neither tree!
Herc - I feel reassured from info on here now that will be fine but if push came to shove, surely better to bf & give the protection on everything else that gives (yes even after a year) than worry about baby teeth that will fall out anyway?

OP posts:
vlc · 29/11/2008 23:35

May I politely disagree wth you, hercules?

  1. They DO need it at this age. Ask my dd.
  2. BF continues to reduce the risk of many illnesses at this age and beyond. Not something to be given up lightly or on the sayso of someone who appears unaware of the health benefits that are still substantial at this age.
  3. Someone will hopefully back me up with some real evidence of this, but I believe that historical human remains show practically no evidence of tooth decay for chldren who would have been breastfed Faaaar longer than the average 2008 UK baby. (and presumably without the benefits of aquafresh either) Logic suggests that it is the rest of a typical current diet causing decay - NOT breastmilk.

just a thought.

puffylovett · 29/11/2008 23:44

agree with vic. how much sugar is in these other childrens diet ? It is easy in this day and age to over consume refined sugar without realising it. coca pops / cornflakes / rice krispies etc / lots of fruit juice in the day / cupcakes / etc etc....

I don't think it should all be blamed on bfeeding.

treedelivery · 29/11/2008 23:47

Agree vic - bf around long long time before dentists.

Still say daft advice.

hercules1 · 30/11/2008 10:36

I agree with what you are all saying and I'm sure if I were to search the archives I've said exactly the same to others in teh past.

As I said I breastfed one child till 4 and the other till 3. Of course I fet them at night if they wanted it but they didnt need it for hunger.

Having had to sit with dd in a dentist chair in Harley st (or the st next to it) to see a specialist childrens dentist and being told that my bf had caused dry rot to her top teeth and possibly damaging her adult teeth if I could do it again I'd do it differently.
The dentist said she had seen other causes caused by extended bf at night time.

Normal dentists as I said didnt pick up on it and if I'd left it any longer or waited to see an NHS specialist then her adult teeth would have been damaged.

As I said ds fed longer and his teeth are fine.

hercules1 · 30/11/2008 10:46

Should also reiterate I am only suggesting stopping feeding at night time.

vlc · 30/11/2008 12:07

Hercules, how did your dentist know that it was definitely bf to blame? I don't understand how he can be sure that bf is the culprit, and not genetics / other food in the diet / natural propensity to decay.

If there really was a link then the research would reveal this, surely?... but the research seems to refute it instead.

Not being combative here, truly, just intrigued as to what really is the truth.

And a little in awe of your natural term bf - wow...well done!