I breastfeed, and more often than not my baby will fall asleep at the breast. We just let her, chalking it up to the power of the breast to nourish and soothe. My mother told me that nursing will have the same effect as a bottle on the teeth of the baby. Can nursing cause tooth decay?
Is there a connection between extended breastfeeding, nighttime nursing and dental caries? Though some breastfed babies will develop tooth decay, there are no good scientific studies that support this theory.
Before the use of the baby bottle, dental decay on baby teeth was rare. Dr. Brian Palmer and Dr. Harold Torney are two dentists who have done extensive research on human skulls. Dr. Torney found in studying skulls from 500 to 1000 years old that the decay rate was less than 0.2 percent. Dr. Palmer also found very little decay in ancient skulls and has concluded from his extensive research that breastfeeding does not cause tooth decay.
Tooth decay in infants, sometimes referred to as "nursing bottle mouth" is thought to be infectious. The strep mutans bacteria is responsible for dental caries. The transfer occurs through saliva to saliva contact, from mother or caregiver to baby, once the baby teeth have erupted. It is thought that only around 20 percent of the population has increased levels of high acid producing bacteria, putting them at risk for developing dental decay.
There are several other factors associated with dental caries: defective tooth enamel; maternal stress during the pregnancy, limited intake of dairy products during pregnancy; and an illness in the mother during pregnancy.
Dentists often recommend altering a baby's pattern of breastfeeding, reducing total number of feeds, and avoiding nighttime feeds, but it is difficult (and generally not wise) to alter a baby's nursing pattern.
To help cut down the chance of early tooth decay:
- Regular dental care is very important for the pregnant mother. When dental decay is repaired, it is theorized that the amount of strep mutans bacteria present in the mouth is reduced, so there is less likelihood of exposing her child to this bacteria that can cause decay. This is especially important if she has a history of dental decay.
- Brush your baby's teeth as soon as they erupt with a small, soft bristle brush, or wipe with a damp washcloth (at the minimum) following each daytime feed.
- Avoid saliva-to-saliva contact with your baby. (Basically this means that you should avoid sharing spoons, chewing food for your baby, or putting your baby's pacifier in your mouth.)
In La Leche League International's 1997 Facts about Breastfeeding, a Swedish study is summarized. "The children still breastfed at one year of age, who remained caries-free until age three, had at age two received more help with toothbrushing, used fluoride toothpaste more frequently, and consumed caries-risk products and nocturnal meals less frequently than children who had developed carious lesions at the same age. It is not breastfeeding per se that causes dental caries but rather that other caries-promoting habits co-exist in these children." (Wendt, 1996)
As nursing mothers (and their little ones) know, breastfeeding is much more than just nutrition. The well recognized benefits of breastfeeding need to be weighed against the possibility of dental decay in a child's baby teeth.
Next page: References
References:
- Aaltonen, A.S. and Tenovuo, J. Association between mother-infant salivary contacts and caries resistance in children: a cohort study. Ped Dentistry 1994; 16(2):110-16.
- Alaluusua, S. et al. Prevalence of caries and salivary levels of mutans streptococci in 5-year-old children in relation to duration of breastfeeding. Scan J Dent Res 1990; 98(3):193-96.
- Arnold, R.R. et al. A bactericidal effect for human lactoferrin. Science 1977; 197:263-65.
- Mandel, I.D. Caries Prevention - Current Strategies, New Directions. JADA 1996; 127:1477-87
- Roberts, G.J. et al. Patterns of breast and bottle feeding and their association with dental caries in 1- to 4-year-old South African children. 1. Dental caries prevalence and experience. Comm DentHlth 1993; 10:405-13
- Roberts, G.J. et al. Patterns of breast and bottle feeding and their association with dental caries in 1- to 4-year-old South African children. 2. A case control study of children with nursing caries. Comm Dent Hlth 1994; 11:38-41
- Torney, R.H. Prolonged, on-demand breastfeeding and dental caries--an investigation. M.Dent.Sc. thesis 1992
- Wendt, L.-K. et al. Analysis of caries-related factors in infants and toddlers living in Sweden. Acta Odont Scand 1996; 54(2):131-37
