Why didn't I know about the dangers of night feeding??

[MommyofHero]

I have had such a fulfilling and delightful b-feeding relationship with my 22 mo son, but now I am trying to find the right steps to begin weaning him and I feel sad and conflicted over this.

The breastfeeding has provided such comfort for him, especially throughout the night, because he has had terrible eczema issues for the past year. (The boy has NEVER slept through the night. He wakes every 1 to 2 hours itchy or just generally grumpy and the breast soothes him greatly.) But I really had NO IDEA that you are supposed to wipe your baby's teeth off after each feeding and my poor little boy now has a mouthful of tooth decay! (How do you do this when your baby nurses constantly throughout the night? I feel so guilty-- I thought I was providing him with comfort and nutrition, but instead I was rotting his teeth?!)

There is a part of me that wonders whether the eczema and tooth decay are symptoms of a bigger problem (he has tested negative for Celiac but is still on a gluten-free diet because it seems to improve the eczema.) We eat very little sugar and have good brushing and flossing habits. My other child has perfect teeth!

I would much rather find a natural alternative (more healing) route to treat his teeth, because the only way to cap/fill his teeth is to put him to sleep for the procedure. (I feel scared just thinking about it.) And of course, the 3 dentists we took him to are all shocked that I still nurse him and gave him "bottle rot."

I don't want to rush the weaning process though and I would appreciate any ideas or advice about how to go about doing this. Or if anyone has experienced alternative treatments for ECC. Thank you so much.

[rachelsmama]

Originally Posted by MommyofHero 

There is a part of me that wonders whether the eczema and tooth decay are symptoms of a bigger problem (he has tested negative for Celiac but is still on a gluten-free diet because it seems to improve the eczema.) We eat very little sugar and have good brushing and flossing habits. My other child has perfect teeth!

That part of you that thinks there's more going on is probably right.  Yes, breastmilk can act as a source of sugar for tooth decaying bacteria, but it's nowhere near as simple as "night nursing causes cavities", a lot comes down to luck, genetics, etc...  If you look around your community you can probably find kids who go to bed with bottles of juice every night with teeth that are in better shape than your kid's, and other kids who eat an even healthier diet and have never night nursed who have teeth as bad or worse than your kid's.  Try not to beat yourself up about meeting your kid's need for comfort and sleep, and I hope you find some solutions that work for you and your kid.

[fruitfulmomma]

I have night nursed all 6 of my children. The first four had no cavities before they we weaned. They exhibited no signs whatsoever of baby bottle syndrome. Number 6 has no teeth yet. Number five is my one with major teeth issues and she also has a ton of food intolerances and probably nutritional deficiencies. I am not at all concinved that her night nursing caused her problems.

Maybe someone else can chime in here with a link with more info, but basically the way a baby nurses vs. Bottle is different so that a breastfed baby is not holding milk against her teeth all night like if she had a bottle.

Others say it is a combo of solids and breastmilk so you want to brush at night and after that no more solids till morning.

There is a dental forum in health and healing.

[pek64]

Cavities are caused by bacteria. If his immune system is already stressed, then the cavity causing bacteria can live unchecked. Also, the mouth is supposed to be alkaline. If his is more acidic, that adds to tooth decay. The dentists may not be knowledgeable about breastfeeding versus bottle feeding at night. Don't let them get you down. Just work from where you are. Do you see decay?

I would try to pinpoint the cause of his skin issue. Righting that may also balance the mouth ph. Add parsley for calcium to sauces. Zinc and chromium support the immune system. We drink concord grape juice for those elements, but you can do a little research to find a source that works for your family. And check out the other threads for more tips on healing cavities.

Good luck.

[E m i c h i e e]

Breastfeeding does not cause tooth decay. It is the breastmilk reacting with sugars and other foods.
Think about it, in the beginning of time we ate differently. We did not have sugars, lots of fruits and veggies available, grains neither.

So it is not Natures or the Breastmilks fault, it is how we eat. Very strict dental hygiene can help.

Also - breastmilk from the breast does not pool in the mouth, since the nipple will be far back. Bottles however can cause the pooling effect.

Source: Kellymom

On a side note - my son eats a Paleo diet which is more than just Gluten free, but also grain free. He has no cavities and nurses at night.

[Asiago]

A link every dentist should read:
http://www.pittsfordpediatricdentistry.com/BreastFeeding.pdf

OP if you post in the dental forum, moms have healed decay in many children. Also search Weston Price.

[1babysmom]

We are healing teeth naturally.  With my DD1, we put her under a general for oral surgery at 2 years old, and while I don't hugely regret it, I do realize now that we had other options.

It made me sick to see the decay starting on her teeth at about 18 months old...we had made it a point to take good care of teeth from the start, and we had a pretty good diet overall.  That said, something that WAS interesting to me was that shortly after I noticed the decay (on her upper 4 front teeth), I nightweaned her.  We got into the dentist about 2 months later.  I was shocked when he said that "something changed about 6-8 weeks ago because the decay stopped at that point."  He said it was a pretty obvious change (and as her teeth grew a bit more before our surgery, I could see it as well).  I never once mentioned breastfeeding or the fact that we weaned...and he never said anything.  I didn't want to contribute to him forming any opinions against breastfeeding.

While I certainly don't think it is the case for everyone, I do believe night nursing- AFTER brushing teeth- may have contributed to OUR situation.  My DD1 had the EXACT same dental issues as my SIL did as a baby, and as my SIL's daughter as well.  We're doomed, genetically (for whatever reason...obvious there is some deficiency somewhere that contributes).  But for us, I do try to nightwean about 14-16 months with each child, and teeth are part of my reason.

Sadly, my DS has the same thing (though I can pretty much pinpoint when and how his began), but we are healing them naturally...slowly, and it isn't something that is obvious enough to be encouraging along the way, but I feel that there is no DOWNSIDE to all that we're doing as we're working from the inside out and it's bound to take time.

[Choose2Reuse]

That's awful, I'm so sorry--and I hope we won't run into a similar problem, because my 16 month old DD still nurses all night too!  For what it's worth, her dentist told me that that's fine, and not to worry about nursing after brushing at night, that you should only worry about giving bottles.  So clearly not all dentists think it dooms kids to tooth decay.

It's amazing how much personal variation there is in tooth health.  My DH ticks me off because I do all the flossing, etc. and he doesn't, AND he never had them cleaned till he was 28 (!) and his teeth are way better than mine.  Some people are just (un)lucky.

[~Adorkable~]

i want to say a few things, because i think this breastfeeding and cavities is being seen as too black and white of an issue.

i will say that I'm speaking as someone that still nurses before bed and many times in the wee hours of the morning in bed, my 2 year old twins and they see a dentist that is hugely breastfeeding friendly and gave me a major congrats for choosing and successfully feeding this long. he went so far as to not even call it extended breastfeeding yet, but rather full term with is what it really is.

he was quick to point out a few things and i have seen some of it first hand.

while breast milk in itself does not cause and in many cases guards against cavities, it is no match for the bacteria that is there eating the foods that get stuck there.

very very good tooth brushing is the best thing in this area, also water thru out the day for kids that are old enough specially right after meals to rinse the mouth out.

breast milk can in fact pool in the mouth depending on the child, nursing style and position. i have seen my kids sleeping with milk visible in their mouths. this happened more when they were younger and my let down was stronger, they would suck i bit mostly asleep and a lot would come out.  it still happens when they are comfort nursing, they seem to swallow less and fall asleep more in that mode.

while i think a sip of water and a good swallow would be best in this circumstance, that being unlikely to happen, not nursing 100% to sleep is also a huge plus here, most children will take a finally mouth clearing swallow unless they are totally out. for me its actually one of the best reasons to not nurse all the way to sleep.

breastfed kids that never touch a bottle and have good brushing habits can very much get "bottle rot" i have known 2 kids in my short time as a kid aware person that have had 4 capped front teeth because of it. both had super healthy very aware parents who were blindsided by it, haven been over sold on the wondrous anti cavity powers of breast milk

genetics plays a huge role in how susceptible anyone is to teeth issues, diet and health and habits play big big parts too, but even the best habited folks can be taken down by just having teeth that tend to get cavities.

[Neuromancer]

Our dentist sent me this information, when I was looking for a dentist for my son (I. E. before she was our dentist) at 18 months old. I had asked what her thoughts were on nighttime nursing.

Addendum: when we saw her for the first time she said she might recommend the wiping of teeth after nursing at night only if he had decay, but she saw no signs of decay at this time.

---

Breast-feeding of infants provide general health, nutritional, developmental and psychological advantages while significantly decreasing risk for a large number of acute and chronic diseases (such as urinary tract infections, ear infections, respiratory tract infections). 1 Given that breast milk is uniquely superior in providing the best possible nutrition to infants and breast milk alone has not been associated with cavities, 2-4 I do not require night weaning from breast feeding. However, frequent night time bottle feeding with formula or milk is associated with early childhood cavities. Therefore, once the first baby teeth appear in the mouth, it is important to not put a baby to sleep with milk in the bottle.

Here are some more recommendations:
- Start brushing your childs teeth as soon as they appear in the mouth with a small soft toothbrush as this will help reduce bacterial colonization. Brushing should be done twice a day.
- The primary bacteria that causes tooth decay is mutans streptococci (MS), and this bacteria can be transfered from mother to child through saliva-sharing behaviors (such as sharing utensils). Avoiding this prevents early colonization of MS in infants. Making sure that you go to a dentist regularly to have any cavities filled, and making sure you get a cleaning done, all will reduce your MS level, thus again reducing the transferral of MS to your child. You can also chew on Xylitol gum (such as Trident) 2-3 times a day, which reduces the level of MS in your mouth, and this has a significant impact on MS transimssion.

I have included the articles about breast feeding and cavities below for you.

References
American Academy of Pediatrics. Policy statement: Breast feeding and the use of human milk. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/115/2/496.full
Investigation of the role of human breast milk in caries development. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10197331
Association between infant breast feeding and caries in the United States. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/120/4/e944.full
Feeding habits as determinants of early childhood caries in a population where prolonged breast feeding is the norm. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19145723

[Lazurii]

I want to chime in that my son had what looks like bottle-rot, but it really stems from untreated/undiagnosed reflux coupled with early teething.  The acid weakened his enamel and his teeth decayed.

[phathui5]

We've added xylitol to our kids' diets after reading about how it can fight tooth decay. Here are a couple of the things that they like:

http://www.icechipscandy.com/

http://www.xlear.com/sparx.aspx

[queenjane]

I really think there is more to it than just "nightwean to avoid cavities"...My oldest son nightnursed at the breast and had a few cavities here and there but his teeth were by no means rotted out. One of my sons who is adopted bottlenursed, fell asleep with a bottle every night til he was probably four years old (and when he stopped with formula age two he drank juice to sleep...yeah i know but it was the ONLY way to get him to fall asleep and he does not drink milk)...my other adopted son also drank milk in a bottle, sometimes waking in the middle of the night for more milk. Both of these boys are now nearly five years old, the first one (who drank juice at night) has ZERO cavities and the other one has had one.

There would have been no way to  nightwean any of these kids without causing them trauma and bedtime being a huge struggle with many tears. I knew the risk to the teeth and chose to continue on. Three boys with three different genetic backgrounds (and all of whom probably exposed to MY teeth bacteria through shared utensils etc) and none have horrible teeth. This would not be something i would not feel comfortable nightweaning over but others may make of different choice.
 

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Hugs, mama!  I'm so sorry your LO has tooth decay and needs to be sedated. How stressful!  I don't have anything to add because I've never really looked into the issue for myself. I know my pediatrician and I had a nice talk about how doctors and dentists are somewhat at odds over the BFing thing. I also know that I have some friends who had a child with decay (on those front teeth) and many, many more who didn't. No correlation between diet and dental from my sample group. ;-)  Dental health has always seemed like a crap shoot to me. I'm sorry for you and your LO. 

[rightkindofme]

Breastfeeding isn't the sole source of issues, but the people above me are more articulate. :) I night nursed my kids and didn't wipe their teeth and they both have perfect teeth. But I started brushing their teeth/tooth once a day as soon as they came in. Dental care is ALWAYS part of our life.

Kids in my family usually have all their teeth rot out before four. I'm paranoid.

[~Adorkable~]

i happened to have my kids 6 month check up last week, teeth look great plaque wise thankfully, I'm really glad i have finally gotten into what feels like a goos brushing routine with them.

i actually asked about the xylitol and he mentioned that while yes it is a helpful thing, you need to pretty constantly be exposed to pretty high about to really be helpful, so just having a bit in your toothpaste for instance is not doing much of anything. he did like the idea of older kids and adults chewing it for a good little while after each meal, he said that works on two levels, it increases saliva and that helps dilute and wash away the bacteria and its food and it also gave a good application of the xylitol if you havea gum that has enough of it in it and you chew for long enough.

i have not read those links, going to do so now

[swmboa]

For what it's worth, my husband is a dentist, and does not think that night nursing could have caused your LO's tooth problems.  First, breastmilk has enzymes in it that actually protect the baby's teeth.  It is non-cariogenic.  He also says there's mounting evidence that cow's milk is also non-cariogenic (the technical term for non-cavity-forming) because it has many of the same enzymes.  Second, he says that ectoderm is the type of human tissue/cells that form skin, fingernails, hair, and teeth.  So it is very likely that whatever flaw in your LO's ectoderm formation that causes exczema is also causing his teeth to be prone to cavities.  It is my opinion based on what he has told me that you have nothing to feel guilty about and should keep nursing if you so desire--even at night.  He is the type of dentist who keeps very up to date on the latest studies and he is very scientific.  He was a chemistry tutor and really understands the reactions that happen in people's mouths.  He says the idea that "bottle rot" happens with breastmilk, and even possibly with cow's milk, is no longer supported by the latest research.  He also say its unquestionable that if people religiously used fluoride and avoided sugar, they could put dentists almost out of business (the exceptions being people like your LO who have a real biological basis for their weakened teeth).

Just FYI, I just had baby #4, and all of my kids have been nursed until older ages, and all have been nursed to sleep and at night when necessary for the first 3 years of their lives.  None has ever had a cavity.  Although #4 has yet to grow any teeth. :)

Best wishes with your LO's teeth and exczema.  My heart goes out to the little one.

[swmboa]

I wanted to add, in support of a post above, that my husband highly recommends xylitol.  We keep a large supply of fruity-flavored xylitol breath mints and give the kids a 2-3 a day (don't overdo, as it is a laxative and can cause diarrhea if they have too many.  He says an adult should not exceed 6-8 and kids should not have more than 3-4).  It is very well established by studies that Xylitol kills off the bacteria that cause tooth decay.  It is proven very effective.  He includes xylitol in his list of things that could put a dentist out of business (along with fluoride and avoiding sugar).  Ask your dentists about xylitol.  I think it's possible to get a prescription for some xylitol products that might help you defer costs, if you have health insurance to pay for such things.

Good luck solving your child's tooth decay.  The folks above are right that it's not a black and white issue.  Best wishes.

[Springshowers]

My dentist also pointed out that decay almost always happens first in those small teeth... Not because it is bottle rot but because they are the smallest and have the thinnest enamel. My daughter had decay corrected at seventeen months old. We didn't stop night feefing but the decay stopped.

[Shanesmom]

I'm so sorry mama! If it were me, I wouldn't stop night feeding. I still nightfeed my 17 month old; he just went to the dentist: perfect teeth. I feel strongly that the benefits of BF far outweigh the risks involved with their teeth.

On a separate note, I'm facing the same thing with my 2 year old. He has 7 cavities (from me putting him down with a bottle every night for about a year) and I've finally made the decision to just go to the hospital, have him put to sleep, and have it over and done with.

I got about 5 different opinions, and every dentist said the same thing: it's easier, quickest and less painful to just get it over with at the hospital.

I don't have much faith in healing cavities naturally, but I am going to go to that forum and check out what everyone has to say. If only it could be that easy!!!

Good luck mama, and don't feel guilty about night nursing!! What a blessing for you child