distraught and discouraged

[@llli*wilsonduo97]

A few months ago we noticed what we thought was the beginning of dental decay of my 2 year old's front teeth.

We started during research to learn how to heal her teeth naturally with diet and supplements.

At first it seem to help, but most recently the decay seemed to progress quickly, so we took her to a couple of dentists - first a regular dentist and then a pediatric one.

The pediatric dentist recommends four caps and a couple of teeth pulled. When I look at the teeth, I cannot argue that this is probably the best/only course of treatment to save the majority of her front teeth.

The dentist believes that night nursing - of which my daughter does a lot of - she is nearly 3 - is a major factor in her tooth decay.

I just really need to hear from you guys. What is your though on this?

Am I a horrible mom for - not taking her to the dentist soon enough? Night nursing too long? No wiping her teeth after nursing at night?

What do I do now? Night wean? Wipe down her teeth in bed during the night after nursing?

Please someone talk to me about this....

Sad momma

[@llli*mommal]

I am so sorry, mama! How traumatic for you and for baby.

Please don't let the dentist's uninformed comments get to you. Night-nursing is not implicated in dental decay because the sugars in breastmilk aren't the ones that are thought to promote decay, and because the mechanics of nursing mean that milk cannot pool in the mouth the way it can with a bottle- and nighttime bottles are implicated in dental decay.

A lot of kids nurse at night and do not end up with cavities. When a baby does have decay, the root cause often seems to be some sort of defect in his/her enamel. Babies with that sort of issue will probably get decay even if they don't nurse at night- think of all those hours during the day when their teeth are getting exposed to various sugars and starches- even things as innocuous as a handful of crackers or some fruit can contribute.

Basically, I am sorry that the dentist made you feel so bad when this probably isn't the fault of nursing at night.

[@llli*djs.mom]

Go read this.
http://forums.llli.org/showthread.ph...night-nursings

[@llli*krystine]

Yeah, it's not your fault. I'm sorry about the decay and all the dental work that is likely necessary. This happened to a close relative of mine, too, and we both night nursed our toddlers. Mine never had a problem, hers did. I think it's genetic/enamel. DH never has problems with his teeth, I do and we both do the same cares. One of my teeth as a child had no enamel. Nothing I did or my parents, it just never had any.

[@llli*mtmama]

hi mama. my older son had/has what sounds exactly the same. He is 10 now. I did not nurse him past a year. when we started to realize his teeth were crumbling and falling apart the dentist put caps on the teeth that were really bad. and he still has those caps on now, those teeth have not fallen out.


from what i know it is genetic, i was told by the dentist that he just does not have the top layer of enamel. it was not something that we did or did not do.

it is so stressful and i want you to know i struggled for a long time with thinking it was my fault but it is not.

my second child has no issues with his teeth, they clearly look better than my older son's teeth ever did. and this one is still nursing and he's 2 1/2.

if you have any questions just ask