Blog Stats
Over time I have found it useful to monitor the traffic to this blog. I can tell how many people visit the site and what items are of interest. I am amazed at how fast the blog has grown!
By the way, many people ask questions of me. I have been generally happy to give my opinion, but have also tried to get across that I cannot give dental advice that is specific to any one patient (see disclaimer). Over the past few months I have gotten very busy and cannot devote too much time to answering questions. Therefore, I will be posting most of your comments, but will not likely be able to answer any questions.
Take a look at the growth of visits to the blog. This is amazing. I can tell you since this date the stats have gone much higher than even this:
posted by Dr. Dean Brandon @ 7:52 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
I was interested in your opinion regarding extended bre*stfeeding and nightfeedings on the health of a child's teeth.
I have four children. My fourth child (19 months old) has had to have her two front teeth and laterals crowned (stainless steel nusmile type crowns), as well as her left first molar. I have nursed all of my children in exactly the same manner with the night feedings/unfortunate perpetual attachment until they reached about 2 1/2 years old. Typical teeth brushing habits intact with the occasional, but not often, "oops, I forgot to brush her teeth!" Oddly enough, my fourth does not...did not "perpetually attach" as the others did...she actually slept through the night without constantly needing to nurse. She did not (does not) consume juices or milks from sippy cups, etc. Only water, and I consider myself a "mean mommy" when it comes to allowing my children to have candy. It is truly a treat in our house...not a snack. My other children did not and do not have ANY cavities or problems with their teeth...NEVER a blemish, so when I noticed my little one's chipping enamel on the gumline and the enamel on the rear surface wearing away, I was frightened and sick.
I suppose I am interested in whether it is possible that with the others, there was a constant flow of saliva that may have prevented decay in their teeth, whereas with my fourth, she didn't have that constant flow...just the before bed nursing to sleep, and hence maybe more prone to the milk sugars just sitting on her teeth? Of course there is the argument that the act of nursing doesn't facilitate leaving sugars on the teeth (b/c the n*pple and milk actually bypass the teeth altogether). But that would only work for those "clean nursers". Some babies actually do let bre*st milk pool in their mouth, I would say that she is 50/50 on this one.
So what is your verdict on this topic? Bre*stfeeding and teeth: Ultimately good or causing too many problems?
Additionally, what is your opinion on the possibility of my child's problems stemming from a prenatal problem (I was on antibiotics for an asymptomatic UTI during the first trimester and had several viral infections at the start as well...fevers and such). In just two weeks after her molar erupted, the dentist said there was decay on it (this after I had been chasing the poor child around with a toothbrush and brushing 4 or 5 times a day and waking her up to brush her teeth after the occasional night nursing!! Two weeks! Was there decay in her tooth before it even erupted??? Is that possible? Apparently it was so bad in a matter of 12 weeks that we had to have it crowned as well! The child barely even ate any food (it seems to me that she's had sensitivity issues from VERY early on b/c she wouldn't eat from the get go!) So are her teeth coming in compromised?
As an aside: the pediatric dentist practice that we used did a terrible job of communicating information such as: here's what you can expect after her surgery. Here is what we are going to use and why. Nothing was ever discussed. I couldn't ask because I didn't know what to ask! NOW I DO!! It was simply delaying and delaying. And then waiting too long. We went in at 13 months of age (with chipping and erosion on the backs of her front teeth) and nothing was accomplished till 19 months old (and only a simple fluoride wash at one visit in between). Is this standard practice to wait this long?
I also wondered if you had pictures of what the crowns SHOULD look like after they are done. My child's right central looks twisted and crooked whereas her natural teeth were beautifully straight (I have before and after pics). Is this a complicated procedure that is difficult to get straight? It was done in a hospital under anesthesia.
I know you are busy, so I appreciate any feedback as I like to be well-educated on my children's health. Thank you
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Amy
Wow, you certainly have presented a lot of information here. I will only say a few things and maybe after looking a some other posts, your questions might be answered. Firstly, some kids are just prone to decay. Many factors beyond our control. Very young children, if they need restorations, usually need some kind of sedation or general anesthesia to get the work completed. Some very young kids , well, are just too young to safely use those kinds of medications. Fluoride varnish is a reasonable way to slow down the process till the child is a little older and he is better able to handle the procedures. Don't feel too bad about the whole thing. I know it must be frustrating. As to breast feeding, there is a thing called "baby bottle tooth decay" where the bottle does not cause the decay, but speeds it up if the kid is prone anyways. Breast feeding can do the same thing..and yes, I have seen teeth decay rapidly once they are erupted.
Thank you very much for your comments. I was curious, then, should I expect decay in her other teeth even when I am beyond diligent in brushing her teeth and in giving her healthy foods? Do you suppose that this is something that she will have regardless of how well we/she take/s care of her teeth? And if the decay is so obviously aggressive, she we then bring her in for a check up every three months instead of six? I would hate for her to lose any more teeth!
I don't think they used the "varnish", unless that is the same thing as a wash/rinse. Is the varnish supposed to last a little longer? Should I be asking for that the next time around? She just got a swab of the same stuff that an older child "swishes" with.
Respectfully,
Amy
You "paint" on the varnish. You might be able to find out more on the internet. Search: vanish or duraflor.
What great growth in your blog visitors! This is confirmation that you're publishing commentary worth reading. Congratulations.
Chuck McKay
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