Nursing after extractions?

[Reha]

I know that I have read about this before, but can't find it now....

My 3 year old son will soon be having his 4 front teeth extracted. How soon after the extractions is it safe for him to nurse (as some dentists are concerned with dry socket, I guess). I feel like it is ok to nurse him right away, but wanted to check this out with what others have read.

Thanks!

[stacyann21]

There should be no sucking or spitting after an extraction. I don't know the exact time frame, talk with your dentist.

[Reha]

Right, but this I believe is based on the assumption that nursing is the same thing as sucking...and it isn't.

I don't expect my dentist to be knowledgeable in regards to breastfeeding, seeing as how they are still including breastmilk in the NPO for 8 hours prior to GA (even though this has been shown to not true...only 2-3 hours before for breastmilk)....I am almost sure I have read that there is an exception to nusing after extractions...but now I can't find it.

[Peony]

DD1 nursed after we extracted her 2 front teeth, she healed very quickly.

[Reha]

Originally Posted by Peony

DD1 nursed after we extracted her 2 front teeth, she healed very quickly.

So, you nursed right after the procedure then?

[Peony]

She didn't ask to nurse until about 1.5 hours after, I think her mouth was too numb to even think about it before then. She had a fall that lead to the extraction, sedation was not an option so it the extraction was only done under lidocaine. The dentist started to pull them and she stopped us because she could still feel, she was 3.5 then, so she got even more lidocaine. She was sore but asked to nurse when she could feel again, I think anyway.

[Cassandra M.]

We had one extraction at 24 months, nursed directly after still in the office. Then we had 3 extractions (the other front top teeth) a year later and nursed that night.

I think sucking on a straw causes the problem, not nursing, but I guess I'm not sure. I don't remember anyone mentioning it.

[momma,mia]

I remember reading somewhere on here that nursing and sucking on a straw were different. I know that the dentists say not to drink out of a straw after having a tooth pulled, so.... Also, I don't remember who said that nursing and sucking out of a straw weren't close enough to the same thing to worry about it , so I am not sure where they obtained their info, but just wanted to share that yes, I heard it here *somewhere*.

[Peony]

Nursing and sucking on a straw using different muscles. A nipple goes back into the palate of the mouth, it's soft, it can change shape as the child's tongue is around it. A straw you put barely into you mouth and make almost a fish face to suck through, it's different sets of muscles, and different areas of the mouth. I knew my DD1 nursed very gently for a few days, she flutter sucked.