while i agree with shauna's suggestion that LCs, LLLLs, etc. are at a
primary place to encourage good dental hygieine to parents, what i have seen
suggests that breastfeeding does not encourage, and may in fact *discourage*
dental caries. the american dental association continues to encourage night
weaning despite evidence that it does not promote tooth decay. here is what
i have collected on this topic:

first, a post from a friend whose daughter had caries in a "night bottle"
pattern (she is happy for it to be shared wherever it might help)...

"The local dentists are convinced that
it's actually unrestricted night nursing that caused our
daughter's decay, but the reams of research I have done leave me
personally satisfied that breastmilk actually has protective
qualities.  My home town pediatric dentist was very clear when he
told me that *strep mutans* bacteria causes decay itself, not
"feeding" strep bacteria at night with pooled breastmilk, just
the strep infection.  Also, La Leche League's WAB says on page
365, "...certain bacteria found in the mouth may contribute to
tooth decay in some individuals.  Those breastfed toddlers who do
develop tooth decay do so in spite of breastfeeding, not because
of it."  See also the following (unrelated to dentistry) link for
information about breastmilk's proven antimicrobial properties:
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/www/microbio/milk.html and note
especially that strep mutans is one that it clearly protects
against: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/www/microbio/table1.html
Besides these supporting facts, it is our feeling that our
daughter's emotional and mental welfare (breastfeeding and
non-coersion) weighs in at least as high as the physical, and at
this point since our daughter has no complaints, her discomfort
with the proposed dental treatment is paramount."

Also, my personal experiential evidence that, even if some caries are from
nursing (how come some and not all?), dentists are still way too eager to
implicate night nursing and have no stake in helping mothers to avoid
forceful weaning:  My (now) three year old daughter has severe decay in six
of her
teeth.  I have three daughters.  My older daughter has two small, brown
"dents" in her front teeth, and a cavity in each of her two lower,
front-most molars and nothing more (as an important side note, none of my
children has ever experienced pain from tooth decay of any degree, but one
has suffered
discomfort at being examined by a dentist against her will - never again!).
The daughter with four top front teeth completely rotted and broken to the
gum line and cavities in two top front-most molars and noting else is my
middle child.  The baby (ten months) has four perfect teeth and no cavities.
They
are/were all nursed at night until around two years of age.

The dentists (2) accused night nursing of damaging my middle daughters'
teeth.  Why then, are my other daughters' teeth unaffected, and why are my
middle daughters' teeth affected in an irregular pattern (eg. four teeth
rotted, then two teeth fine, then two teeth rotted, then two teeth fine)?  I
had a
"bad" tooth as a child too, for which they gave me a root canal at age
5(!!!), and I did not nurse past age 9 and never at night.  I am convinced
that at least a large determinant of tooth decay in night nursers is
genetics or pregnant mother's diet - something that cannot be changed later
on with night
nursing habits.

~~~~~

Pediatr Dent 1999 Mar-Apr;21(2):86-90
Investigation of the role of human breast milk in caries development.
Erickson PR, Mazhari E
Division of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Minnesota, USA.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the caries-related
risk associated with human breast milk (HBM).

METHODS: First, the plaque pH of 18 children (12-24 months) was monitored
before and after a five-minute feeding with HBM to determine the pH drop and
minimum pH obtained. Second, Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 was cultured for 3
hr in HBM, and the increase in the number of colony forming units (cfus) and
 the culture pH was measured.  Third, HBM was incubated for 24 hr with
powdered enamel to determine the solubility of mineral in the absence of
bacteria. Fourth, HBM was mixed with acid to determine the buffering
capabilities. Finally, enamel windows were created on extracted premolar
crowns (N = 33) that were colonized with Mutans Streptococci and incubated
with HBM. Caries was assessed visually and radiographically for 12 weeks.

RESULTS: One- and two-way ANOVAs of these five assays demonstrated that HBM
did not cause a significant drop in plaque pH when compared to rinsing with
water; HBM supported moderate bacterial growth; calcium and phosphate were
actually deposited onto enamel powder after incubation with HBM; the buffer
capacity of HBM was very poor; and HBM alone did not cause enamel
decalcification even after 12 weeks exposure. However, when supplemented
with 10% sucrose, HBM caused dentinal caries in 3.2 weeks.

CONCLUSION: It is concluded that human breast milk is not cariogenic.

~~~~~

"Breastfeeding and Tooth Decay"
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/3490/tooth-decay.html

~~~~~

Breastfeeding Protects Against Tooth Decay

A new report suggests that breastfeeding and a genetic resistance to tooth
decay may help protect against the condition, known medically as early
childhood caries (ECC).

"ECC is generally considered a significant and devastating disease in a
child, and it targets the individual for decay throughout their life," said
Dr. Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist and spokesperson for the American Dental
Association.

The new study included 260 children aged 3 to 5 who lived in Greece.  The
researchers, led by Dr. Constantine Oulis, of the University of Athens,
divided the youngsters into two groups:  those who had already developed
multiple cavities and those who had no more than one.  They found that both
groups of children used bottles to the same degree, and that children who
fell asleep with the bottle were much more likely to develop cavities than
those who did not.  However, some children did not develop cavities even
when
they "misused" the bottle.  This led the investigators to conclude that some
biological factor may increase the individual's resistance to dental
disease.
Additionally, the researchers found that those children who did not have
cavities used a bottle for about 33 months -- roughly 4 months shorter than
those who did develop cavities.  Children who were breastfed for over 40
days
were also less likely to develop cavities than those who were breastfed for
shorter periods of time.  The researchers speculate that breastmilk may
contain some factors, such as antibodies, that can inhibit S. mutans, the
bacteria that cause tooth decay.

~~~~~

Breastfeeding May Protect Against Tooth Decay

By Alan Mozes

NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters Health) -- Infants and young children who
routinely fall asleep with a bottle in their mouth are at high risk for
"baby-bottle mouth" -- a condition in which their newly emerging teeth
rapidly become decayed.

Now, a new report suggests that breastfeeding and a genetic resistance to
tooth decay may help protect against the condition, known medically as early
childhood caries (ECC).

"ECC is generally considered a significant and devastating disease in a
child, and it targets the individual for decay throughout their life," said
Dr. Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist and spokesperson for the American Dental
Association.

Sleeping with a bottle leads to rapid decay because saliva flow and
swallowing slows down, leaving teeth bathed in a cavity-promoting sugary
solution. The condition may result when any type of liquid other than water
comes into contact with the teeth for an extended period of time.

The new study included 260 children aged 3 to 5 who lived in Greece. The
researchers, led by Dr. Constantine Oulis, of the University of Athens,
divided the youngsters into two groups: those who had already developed
multiple cavities and those who had no more than one.

They found that both groups of children used bottles to the same degree, and
that children who fell asleep with the bottle were much more likely to
develop cavities than those who did not.

However, some children did not develop cavities even when they "misused" the
bottle. This led the investigators to conclude that some biological factor
may increase the individual's resistance to dental disease.

Additionally, the researchers found that those children who did not have
cavities used a bottle for about 33 months -- roughly 4 months shorter than
those who did develop cavities. Children who were breast-fed for over 40
days were also less likely to develop cavities than those who were
breast-fed for shorter periods of time.

The researchers speculate that breastmilk may contain some factors, such as
antibodies, that can inhibit S. mutans, the bacteria that cause tooth decay.

The best way to prevent baby-bottle mouth is to avoid putting a baby to bed
with a bottle, said Hayes in an interview with Reuters Health.

"What I usually tell mothers is that the best dentistry is preventative. If
they're nursing their children, especially after age 1, they have to make
sure that their child does not go to sleep with their bottle, and that they
do not put sweetened beverages in the bottle, and that they do wean them as
their pediatrician suggests," she said.

"Leaving a child down with a bottle is often a convenience," she
acknowledged. "But it's like taking part in a lottery that you don't want to
win."

She also recommends that parents "brush their (children's) teeth when the
teeth first appear -- to wait until age 3 is too late."

SOURCE: Pediatric Dentistry 1999;21:409-416.

~~~~~

finally, there are four articles on the topic here:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/bfdent.html

Maka Laughingwolf, who should DEFINITLEY be packing rather than reading old
mail!
breastfeeding peer counselor
studying toward eventual IBCLC
***NOMAIL*** while en route
to new (temporary) home in Yakima, WA
[log in to unmask]

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