Kathy Dettwyler, any comments on caries among toddlers in Mali?
Plenty of caries in deciduous teeth in Mali, where children are nursed
until they are about two years old. HOWEVER, I venture to say that most of
those are caused by the sticky carbohydrate staple (millet, sorghum, rice,
corn) and lack of dental hygiene among children -- usually only older kids
and adults brush their teeth. I saw several children with
black/purple/green front incisors, teeth broken off at the gum line, etc.
But there is no reason to expect this is due to night nursing.
I've written here before that in my family, my mother has crummy enamel
(genetically) and passed it on to one of her three kids, me, and I passed
it on to one of my three kids, Alex. He has several crowns already (age 8)
and several fillings. Of course, the dentist never thought to ask me if I
was still nursing him at 3 and 4 years of age, so the dentist didn't blame
it on nursing. I did tell the dentist about my mother, and show the
dentist my mouth FULL of crowns and root canals and he said "Gee, Alex must
have inherited your bad enamel." I think dentists glom onto night nursing
as an excuse -- and something that they feel they can "fix" by telling the
mother to wean. I also think they are part of US culture that thinks that
nursing isn't necessary for more than a few months and that it is kind of
weird to nurse beyond a year.
I have had several long "arguments" with acquaintances who are convinced
that "prolonged" breastfeeding is bad for children's teeth, yet see nothing
at all wrong with serving cookies and apple juice for a mid-morning snack
to their toddlers, followed by a box of raisins (and *not* followed by
brushing).
Don't even get me started on the evils of raisins when it comes to kids'
teeth . . . .
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Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D. email:
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Anthropology Department phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX 77843-4352
http://www.prairienet.org/laleche/dettwyler.html
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