Nursing to Sleep and Dental Care

[@llli*mrshistory]

Hello!
I nurse my guy to sleep (and love it). He's starting to get his teeth and I read in a book that once they have teeth, you need to wake them up at night to clean their teeth to avoid cavities and such. Is this something that everyone follows? I nurse him to sleep and his nurses in the night so I'm not sure if after each feeding I need to wipe his teeth down. Thanks!

[@llli*mommal]

What book was that? The Big Book of Making Life Harder for Nursing Moms?

This is an overcautious suggestion, appropriate only for babies with known enamel defects or evidence of decay. The sugars in breastmilk are not the ones associated with tooth decay, and because babies must be actively swallowing in order to keep milk flowing, breastmilk does not pool in the baby's mouth at night. That being said, it's a great idea to wipe down your baby's teeth once a day, and before bedtime is a nice time to slip that practice in.

[@llli*tclynx]

What book was that? The Big Book of Making Life Harder for Nursing Moms?

This is an overcautious suggestion, appropriate only for babies with known enamel defects or evidence of decay. The sugars in breastmilk are not the ones associated with tooth decay, and because babies must be actively swallowing in order to keep milk flowing, breastmilk does not pool in the baby's mouth at night. That being said, it's a great idea to wipe down your baby's teeth once a day, and before bedtime is a nice time to slip that practice in.

Heck even twice a day like morning and evening the way most people brush but I wouldn't wake him after nursing to sleep! That would be an instruction for insanity.

[@llli*mrshistory]

What book was that? The Big Book of Making Life Harder for Nursing Moms?

This is an overcautious suggestion, appropriate only for babies with known enamel defects or evidence of decay. The sugars in breastmilk are not the ones associated with tooth decay, and because babies must be actively swallowing in order to keep milk flowing, breastmilk does not pool in the baby's mouth at night. That being said, it's a great idea to wipe down your baby's teeth once a day, and before bedtime is a nice time to slip that practice in.

That was the exact book! Haha. Ok, good. So I can continue to just wipe his gums and teeth with a wet cloth? No need for a brush yet?

[@llli*american.honey]

This would be crazy if we had to brush after every nursing session. Like the other mama said if baby has concern for enamel defects or evidence of tooth decay then yes, but don't make life harder. Give your little one a good brush morning/nigh and he will be fine. Make it a mommy & son thing brushing together. I would recommend you buy him a baby tooth brush with baby tooth paste if he has teeth already. Other than that keep enjoying your night feedings with LO.

[@llli*mommal]

I just wiped down my kids' teeth with a wet washcloth, once a day, usually at the very end of the day. Most kids tolerate a mom's washcloth-covered finger in their mouth a lot better than a toothbrush.

[@llli*tclynx]

Heck, I've often noticed that a cloth covered finger cleans my teeth better than a brush on occasion, only the cloth covered finger doesn't get to the cracks or edges as well once one is old enough for floss anyway.

[@llli*pteroglossus]

fwiw, I just took my daughter to the dentist. she is almost three. I brush her teeth before bed, then she nurses at night, several times. I did not tell dentist I am breastfeeding still. Dentist's comment on her teeth was: "wow, she has beautiful teeth...they look great... and looks like she doesn't suck her thumb either." I just smiled and nodded. we started using toothbrush around 15 mo. before that, it was pretty random wiping with gauze and I often forgot.