The note recently posted by Ros Escott from Australia has inspired me to jump
in and say hi!  I am a full time general dentist in Kansas City - host city
for the 1996 ILCA Conference in July, and the home of your US delegate, Mary
Grace Lanese.  I am a member of ILCA and will be giving a presentation at
that conference entitled "The Significance of Breastfeeding to the
Development of the Oral Cavity and the Airway".  My presentation will sound
very much like the book "Mothercraft" as described by Ros in the note.  It
will also show why or how the statements in Dawn Denton's excellent article -
"Santa Claus was a Breastfed Baby.." in the ILCA Globe 3(6), December 1995
issue, are true.  I have been researching the collapse of the oral cavity and
airway for over 20 years.  My conclusions are very similar to the above book,
even though I have never seen or heard of the book (I would very much like to
get information on the book so that I may read it).
I believe Lactation Consultants are THE most important health care providers
of ALL providers.  I make this strong statement because I feel I can prove
that breastfeeding PREVENTS most of the medical and dental problems we have
today.  Physicians are mainly taught how to TREAT illness and disease, not to
prevent them.  In today's Managed Care environment, we better start learning
how to prevent sickness, because the quality of health care is only going to
go down!  Pills will become the main treatment for most problems, not
diagnosis, caring and service!  Some physicians are becoming more interested
in prevention - these are the physicians the LC's need to find and work with.
 Most dentists are very involved with prevention, but know very little about
breastfeeding.
The LC's I have met seem very committed to their profession.  All of you
should be very proud of the service you are providing.  I hope my
presentation will made insurance companies wake up and see how much money
they can save by PREVENTING the medical problems children AND adults suffer
from not breastfeeding.
In reading the daily postings, you show much concern about dental caries and
BF.  Do not be passive on this topic - challenge the author about his data,
the article, and the Pedodontic Association's statement.  This is an example
of how the news media gets hold of negative news and blows it out of
proportion.  It could happen in rare cases, but should not be a deterrent for
BF.  I am appalled by any statement a dental society would make AGAINST
breastfeeding of any duration.  I hope my presentation will clarify and
correct this issue!
As stated, I am a full time general dentist who has been in private practice
for 26 years.  I believe a thorough diagnosis, listening to the patient's
needs, caring, and technical skills are the keys to quality care.  I am not
affiliated with any HMO organizations because they do not compensate for the
time it takes to give quality care.  LCs run up against this all the time!  I
have a sub-specialty of making oral appliances for snorers and those who
suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.  I feel strongly that bottle feeding,
pacifier use, and EXCESSIVE thumb, finger, blanket, arm, etc., sucking, are
major contributing factors (because they can cause a collapse of the
oropharynx) to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.  I am a member of the
Amer. Dental Assoc.(ADA), and it's state and local components, the Amer.
Sleep Disorders Assoc. (ASDA) and the Sleep Disorders Dental Soc. (SDDS),
with a background in myo-functional therapy (tongue thrusting), orthodontics,
and TMJ.  I have researched the history of BF, studied skulls, and dissected
the head and neck.  In my presentation I will be covering ankyloglossia
(tongue tie), labial frenums, thrusting, otitis media, enlarged tonsils,
swallowing patterns, oral cavity break down, snoring and sleep apnea.  My
wife and I recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a week's
vacation in Grand Cayman (Caribbean).  We have no children.
In another session, I will be asking for your help.  To document my research,
I NEED articles from around the world to back my statements.  I will give
more information on those statements and the types of articles I am looking
for.
Hope to meet ALL of you at the conference in Kansas City.  It is a great city
and I know you will enjoy your stay.  It will be a little hot in July, but
you can't have everything!  Sorry I have rambled on so much.  Have a great
day!  See you in KC in July.

Brian Palmer D.D.S.
4400 Broadway, Ste. 514
Kansas City, MO  64111
U.S.A.
eMail address - [log in to unmask]