Betty Meeler wrote:
Dentist said:
>  1. Teeth can withstand exposure to breastmilk for only so many months. (I
> don't remember the number she said, maybe 18?). After that time, they will
> decay.
> 2. She said that every one of the children in her practice who kept nursing
> developed caries... the only ones who didn't were the ones whose mothers limited
> nursing to specific times, and made sure to brush immediately afterward.
>
> >The four statistically significant factors associated with dental caries at
> >age two were:
> >-defective tooth enamel first and foremost
> >-maternal stress +/or breavement as reported by the mother
> >-reduced maternal intake of dairy products [during the pregnancy]
> >-medically diagnosed illness (possibly associated with antibiotic use) [again
> >I believe during the pragnancy]
I've had the first two of my four children get there whole mouths done
(crowns, fillings etc.) under general anesthesia.  Cost about $3,000
each child.  I was a milk drinker during pregnancys and when they were
young, no unusual stress or bereavement, no antibiotics, all my children
have gotten unrestricted nursings at night (well, all 24 hrs).
  The second child's teeth began to decay almost immediately after
emerging.  It was dissapointing because I was determined not to repeat
what happened to the first one so I faithfully brushed/wiped her teeth
at least daily ( maybe more ? so long ago).  Also during the pregnancy I
ate really well.  Gained the most weight of all the pregnancies (40
lbs.)and drank milk. She probably had the worse teeth of all.
  With the third child I decided to make an experiment out of her by
giving her flouride.  So far no decay and she is four.  I haven't given
the flouride always consistantly and there was one over dose incident.
Of course no milk antidote in the house-but I found the container so
late in the day it probably wouldn't have done any good.  Now I keep
drops only and double bottled in a child proof container.  I put the
drops on their toothbrushes.  She got her sealants well after the age
the others saw decay.
  The fourth is now 18 months and we have given her a little less
flouride (less consistency) than the third and so far she has no
cavities.
  Before this appears as a sweeping endorsement of flouride I'd like to
add that these last two children have different looking teeth than the
first two.  They appear to be more crowded, so perhaps they inherited
something to help out against cavities too (certainly not from my
husband or I).  By the way I was vegetarian but drank milk with third
child's pregnancy and ate everything with fourth child's pregnancy.
Never drank soda with any of the children.
  If there is one thing I know I did right in regards to all the dental
work we bought it's that I had the second child's whole mouth done at
once.  The first child only got what was necessary under the general
anesthesia and we ended up having to get a lot of fillings and crowns
done in the dentists office as he grew.  Also with the second child we
went to a dentist who never judged or
shamed me once over the condition of my childrens teeth or my bf style.
He said the decay was from weak enamel and holding food in there mouth
with there tongue. He has done incredibly good work on there teeth.  The
first one had accused bf and me of being the cause of decay and he did a
bad job (we found out later).
  Also I read a whole book written by a dentist and it had the backing
of some dental organizations if I remember right and I was amazed that
it was full of contradictions about what caused tooth decay!  Where is
science?  Out performing flawed studies, I guess.
-Joyce Mitchell in Utah