When my own son Fletcher was 16 months old I started to notice something
wrong with the face of his front teeth.  We took him to a pediatric dentist
who told me that he had 3 cavities in those teeth.  I was flabbergasted!  I
don't know what I expected him to say, but I was shocked that my breastfed
baby actually had cavities.  He never took a bottle in his life, and rarely
drank juice.  The dentist told me that it was classic bottle mouth,
although it was rare in nursing infants.  He advised me to completely stop
nighttime nursings.  Right!  We had a family bed, & Fletcher nursed
frequently, so I needed to find another solution...  Then, the dentist
scheduled the visit to have the teeth filled & informed my husband & I that
we could NOT be with our son during the procedure.  They showed us the
papoose board that they would strap him to, and they told me that the "kids
do much better with the parents not with them."  No exceptions.  I was
shaking when we left.

So then I called every pediatric dentist within the entire Detroit Metro
area.  They all said the same thing - "no parents."  My son Fletcher had
never been with a sitter, he was home with me, and we knew he'd be
terrified if we just left him in the dentist's chair, strapped down, with 2
strangers who wanted to drill on his teeth.  I FINALLY found a pediatric
dentist who told me that "most kids do handle the dental work better
without parents there, because they expect mommy or daddy to rescue them.
Then the parents end up very distressed too.  But you know your son better
than I do, and nothing is set in stone.  I'll do what you feel is best for
your baby."  He had a consult visit, confirmed the cavities, and he then
ordered a very mild sedative for Fletcher to take prior to the dental work.

The day came, we went into the exam room with Fletcher, then I proceeded to
go out into the parking lot and bawl my eyes out, sure that the whole thing
was very traumatic for my boy.  He came out smiling!  Not a peep from him.
The dentist was amazed.  I'm sure it was because Fletcher had his daddy
with him.

He ended up with 1 more cavity on the back of his front tooth shortly after
that.  But we have been dilligent about brushing, and he has no more
cavities at 3 1/2.  (He weaned at 2 1/2 despite the fact that night
nursings were about the last to go.)

So, although rare, I guess that this can happen with breastfed babies.  I
seem to recall a back issue of "New Beginnings" (about a year and a half
back) addressing this problem, and other bfeeding moms wrote of their
experiences with bottle mouth.

Sorry to be so long winded!

Mary Young
LLL, Michigan