Amy,
        LLLI has a statement on Bf and Dental Caries and a 3 page
bibliography of  references.
        Want a copy?  Send me a SASE with $.55 postage and I will copy
and send.  (Anyone else needs to send 50 cents for copying fee as well).
        Bummer of a letter.  Can you get a copy of the AAP statement and
include it?
Karen Zeretzke
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
[log in to unmask]


On Wed, 19 Feb 1997 14:47:44 -0600 Amy Shelton <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>I just spoke with a friend who received a nasty little letter from her
>pediatric dentist. At her 4 year old's last dental checkup, she asked
>the hygienist if her 9 month old son needed fluoride supplements since
>he was exclusively breastfed (meaning not drinking water plain or
>mixed
>with formula). The letter she got received was very condescending,
>preachy in attitude, saying things like her baby was in great danger
>of
>anemia and that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends weaning
>babies at the age of 9-12 months to prevent nursing-related dental
>caries. (Maybe the Amer. Acad. of Ped. DENTISTS recommends this, but
>the
>AAP does not. Although her dentist told her that all the pediatricians
>he has spoken with DO recommend weaning from the breast at age 9-12
>months. He obviously hasn't spoken to MY pediatrician.)
>
>She and I both know this is a bunch of hogwash. We would like to
>bombard
>this dentist with a lot of research study citations that document that
>most nursing-related dental caries is caused by congenitally weak
>teeth
>or presence of high acid producing bacteria in the mouth or any other
>cause. That most babies don't need to be weaned from nighttime
>nursings,
>unless there is already a problem with dental caries, in which case it
>might need to be considered, depending on severity of the problem.
>That
>the great majority of breastfed babies can continue nighttime nursings
>with no problems.
>
>I would greatly appreciate any references to breastfeeding and dental
>caries that we could send this dentist. I hate to think he's out there
>encouraging mothers to totally wean their babies at 9-12 months, when
>there's no real reason for them to do so.
>
>Feel free to send me private email if you don't want to clutter up the
>list. I will be more than happy to post a compilation of responses I
>receive if there is enough general interest.
>
>Thanks!
>Amy
>--
>*********************************************************************
>*  Amy Shelton, mom to Abby (6/93) and Christopher (5/96)
>*
>*  LLL Leader, ALLE for LLL of AL/MS/LA                             *
>*  LLL of Huntsville: http://iquest.com/~ashelton/homepage.html     *
>*  A Mother's Love (sales/rental of breast pumps and accessories):  *
>*     http://iquest.com/~ashelton                                   *
>*********************************************************************
>