Dental: Extended Bfeeding = Gum Problems for Mom?

[QueeTheBean]

X-posted in extended bfeeding:


Someone recently told me that her dentist advised her that her gum problems may be caused in part by the fact that she was still nursing her 2-1/2 year old. She has been pregnant and/or nursing for about 9 years.

I also have been having gum problems. I am still nursing my 2-1/2 year old, though it never came up with my dentist. With a brief 9-month break, I have been nursing or pregnant for about 7 years.

Is there any kind of link? I searched google, but nothing came up about mom's dental health--only info. on baby dental issues.

[QueeTheBean]

Forgot to add that the dentist told her BF was somehow linked to increased?? or different?? kind of saliva production in moms & that is what was causing the problem.

Not exactly sure, but it was something like that.

[toraji]

Dental problems in my personal experience came from nutritional deficiency. I find that if I don't get enough vegetables and animal protein on top of an already balanced diet, my gums bleed. I also need more than my super-fast metabolizing DH, his gums don't bleed with less animal protein/veggies while mine still will, I am guessing due to the increased strain of nursing. The best source of veggies for me is a blended salad, which is a salad in a blender. The blender does a much better job than humans can do in breaking apart the cell walls and releasing the nutrients. I also take cod liver oil which helps with dental health (the vitamin D helps with assimilation of calcium).

Pregnancy and especially nursing takes a major toll on the mama's body and if the diet is not sufficient then deficiencies will show up in the form of depression, brain fog (nursing brain, sound familiar?), and tooth decay/bleeding gums (at least in my case, there are also many other symptoms of deficiency). I was previously a whole-foods vegan and it was not sufficient enough for me. Once I changed over to a Nourishing Traditions-style whole omni diet, then my teeth began whitening, the receding gums started growing back, and MUCH less bleeding from them. So now it's really easy for me to tell when my diet has been a bit off and I haven't had enough animal protein/veggies because my gums will start bleeding again.

Hope that helps!