It's been months since I posted and I'm a week behind on my digests
but as a dental hygienists I'd like to comment on the post from
96-11-08 regarding the mom who had gum surgery to save teeth
and told to wean her first baby, and never to breastfeed again,
 because lactation had caused "severe calcium depletion" of her teeth.

Unless I have missed something, despite continuing ed. and ongoing
employment in public health, dental calcium depletion does not occur
from systemic or dietary imbalances once the teeth are formed.
Unlike with bone, the body does not draw calcium from the dentition.
Any calcium depletion that might have occurred would have been from
the oral environment such as through acids from dental plaque, diet
(eg softdrinks, lemon), or stomach acid (eg. hyperemesis of
pregnancy).   Gum surgery does not repair enamel depletion of  teeth.
It is used to manage periodontal disease of the alveolar bone and
gingiva.  If periodontal bone surgery was required it is possible
that calcium bone loss was a factor.  More likely the cause of the
problem was an infective gum disease which can spread to the bone.
Often in pregnancy nausea and fatigue lead to laxity in oral hygiene,
and this coupled with a greater inflammatory response results in
pregnancy gingivits, which left unchecked may cause more permanent
damage.

Finally,  if a drain of body calcium stores were a health concern
proper diet and maternal calcium supplementation rather than
weaning would be the logical course of action.

Suzanne McBride, RDH, BA, IBCLC

but