Dentist has said I shouldn't breastfeed after 12 months??!!

[Manda472]

Just taken my DS (7) and 13mth DD and the dentist was shocked that I was still b/feeding. Said I was putting her at extra risk of tooth rot and should be giving her a bottle!!
WTF....

Am I wrong???

Bottles can cause tooth decay and you're advised to stop them by 12 months - maybe the dentist was confused? A letter to the practice manager suggesting retraining might help.

Breast milk is sugary and bad for the teeth but so is formula, just wipe the teeth with toothpaste after each feed.

Dentist is a tit (pun intended)
Dentist needs to familiarise self with WHO guidance on infant nutrition.
Dentist needs to question WTAF s/he is doing recommending introducing bottles of anything to any child over 12 months. AFAIK they should all be using cups by then.
Dentist is doling out crap information.

You are not wrong.

My friend is a dental nurse and said the same thing, in the middle of a debate about whether breastfeeding after babies can walk is weird or not

I reccommended she read the WHO guidelines, i am still bf and at 10 mths... What a nutter

Also, doesn't the milk from a nork go straight down because of the way they attach? It doesn't pool in the mouth, the way a drink from another erm, container would. BF protects against dental caries, I think? Plus the additional benefits to jaw development. If your child has particularly poor teeth (genetic or otherwise) there might be an issue. I think there is something on this in the 'Womanly Art of Breastfeeding' or on kellymom.com?

Agree, retraining required. My dentist told me I couldn't take an antibio and bf and I should give up or limit bf to six months. She was completely wrong.

That's exactly what I thought, yes I know that b/milk is sugary but then so is formula. Dd has juice,water and cows milk in a beaker so am not going to introduce a bottle at this stage. Also brushes her 2 teeth twice a day
Can't do right for doing wrong

Sorry didnt mean to offend with the word nutter btw, i was being painted out to be out of the ordinary and at 10 mths!

The nipple to drawn to the back of the baby's mouth, whereas with a bottle teat it pools around the teeth. Breastfeeding is definitely better for dental health than bottle feeding.

Not offence taken

I wouldn't waste your breathe or the ink to write a letter of complaint. Lots of people don't get breastfeeding after 6 months, yet alone 12 months. If you breastfeed until 2 years old then its gets truely hardcore.

If you get people who tell you to give up breastfeeding just ignore.

Breastmilk is also antibacterial, unlike formula.

Have a look on kellymom, but studies have shown that BM has the same impact on teeth as water, unless the teeth are already coated in another food...

Our dentist, when asked, has said that breast feeding DOES NOT cause dental caries. She said there is no evidence that it does.

The myths have arisen from the very real risk to teeth from allowing toddlers sucking from BOTTLES at night.

Someone mentioned "pooling" that happens with bottled milk, that doesn't happen with breast feeding. That's absolutely right as far as our dentist is concerned.

There's also info on this on KellyMom. Might be worth printing out and giving to the dentist. They have shown WOEFUL lack of knowledge.

Thanks everyone, this is the first time any one has ever implied that I'm doing my child harm by b/feeding so I was a bit taken aback. I will stop when either she decides or when I get fed up of being a chew toy!