My daughter had her tooth extracted at 20 months as she damaged it
falling down the steps, she nursed immediately after.  I didn't ask
for permission, it never occurred to me that it would be a problem.
It certainly hasn't harmed her teeth at all.  Our problem was caused
by the local dentist replacing the tooth, and then a long running
abscess, so the tooth was finally removed by a children's specialist
dentist.  He was fine with us feeding her right up until the removal
and immediately after.

Jenny

Jenny Doncon
Breastfeeding Counsellor, IBCLC, Australia

(read my expressing story here: http://www.lrc.asn.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41257
  and my weaning diary here http://www.lrc.asn.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40015)

On 06/07/2010, at 7:06 AM, Sarah Reece-Stremtan wrote:

> Has anyone had any experience with a nursing toddler who needed to
> have
> teeth extracted?  I apologize for asking a question about my own
> child but I
> cannot find any information about this and don't think it's very
> common.
>
> My 2 1/2yo fell and injured his L upper central and lateral incisors 3
> months ago, and now has developed a small abscess necessitating the
> teeth be
> removed.  The dentists we've seen have been reluctantly supportive of
> breastfeeding, grudgingly "okayed" us to continue nursing after the
> injury
> (his teeth were *very* loose and he had an alveolar bone fracture.
> I was
> *shocked* he wanted to nurse within 12 hrs, but we figured out how
> to make
> it work so he wasn't killing me).  I am afraid, however, that he
> will not be
> allowed to breastfeed after the teeth are pulled, for risk of
> dislodging any
> clot formation at the gum site.
>
> Any ideas or information on this?  I know that sucking through a
> straw is
> "forbidden" after most extractions (which also unfortunately is how he
> handles liquids the best) but I'm not sure that nursing exerts the
> same
> negative pressure -- and also wonder if he'll be compressing breast
> tissue
> against his gum in the gap and whether or not it would be rubbing or
> irritating the sockets.  He will also likely have some GI/airway
> evaluations
> done under anesthesia at the same time and may have a temporary
> naso-esophageal probe in place and I can only imagine just horrible
> he will
> be feeling if he is unable to nurse for the 24 hrs after the
> procedures (and
> just how much fun I will have trying to entertain him, ugh).  But
> obviously
> if it may truly be detrimental, we'll hold off on the nursing.
> Opinions or
> experiences???
>
> Thanks much,
> Sarah Reece-Stremtan M.D. (peds anesthesiology fellow who had to
> work WAY
> too much this weekend in Washington DC)
>
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