Is Caries Of Deciduous Teeth Related To Long Breastfeeding?

Marko Balašević Author: Marko Balašević Time for reading: ~6 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022
Is Caries Of Deciduous Teeth Related To Long Breastfeeding?

You will often hear from dentists that prolonged breastfeeding, especially at night, has led to the formation of caries in your child.

It is often said that prolonged breastfeeding, especially at night, is the cause of tooth decay at a very early age. This forces mothers to feel guilty and stop feeding their children naturally before they want to.

Is breastfeeding really a cause of tooth decay?

No! It is biologically normal to breastfeed your baby long after the first teeth appear. To date, there is no scientifically proven link between breastfeeding and the appearance of caries. However, breastfed babies can certainly have dental problems, so good hygiene is extremely important.

Natural nutrition is very valuable for babies and young children for many health reasons and is talked about by UNICEF, La Leche League, other national breastfeeding associations and doctors. Less known advantages of breastfeeding are its participation in the formation of taste, proper arrangement of teeth, normal movement of the tongue during swallowing and others. With so many potential benefits, it seems illogical that breastfeeding can lead to tooth damage.

 

What do the research show?

Dr. Joyce Sinton and colleagues have compared a number of studies conducted on eating methods and dental caries in an attempt to find out why studies do not confirm that breastfeeding contributes to the development of dental caries. The comparison shows that many of the studies had contradictory findings. Most of the existing articles on the subject found by the researchers were not included in the final comparison, as they were not in the public interest. This means that they have described cases of one or more nursing mothers whose babies have already had caries. These studies suggest that tooth decay was caused by breastfeeding, but no evidence has been provided.

One possible source of conflicting results is that research often does not take into account other potential factors for the occurrence of dental caries, such as fluoridation of water or food that the child eats other than breast milk. Studies also use inaccurate data on whether a child is fully breastfed or on a mixed diet. This confusion often yields misleading research results, as exclusive breastfeeding leads to different results than mixed feeding.

If there is no conclusive evidence, why is breastfeeding blamed?

You will often hear from dentists that prolonged breastfeeding, especially at night, has led to the formation of caries in your child. This is because dentists do not have statistics for the majority of children who are breastfed at night and do not have caries. They find that this is a common problem in breastfed children only on the basis of their patients who already have tooth decay.

 

If the child is taken for a routine check-up, the dentist will probably not even ask if he or she is breastfed or not if his or her teeth are healthy. They may not even assume that some and even most of their patients over 18 months of age without caries still continue to breastfeed at night.

More information about night meals can be found in the topics:

  • "Night Breastfeeding - Why It's So Important"
  • "How long to continue breastfeeding at night"

What can actually be the causes of tooth decay?

Eating other foods

Intake of formula, sweets, juices, cereals, bread, dried fruits, and even sweetened medicines can be one of the probable causes of tooth decay.

 

One of the main reasons for the development of caries are considered to be night feedings and fluid retention in the baby's mouth. However, there is a huge difference between bottle-sucking and breast-sucking. Here again, breastfeeding can NOT be the cause. Breastfeeding mechanisms make it unlikely that breast milk will stay in the baby's mouth for long. During the act itself, the nipple is pulled deep into the baby's mouth and the milk is literally spilled into the back of the baby's mouth, and the baby literally has to swallow before continuing to the next step. In contrast, baby bottles release milk, juice or another beverage into the baby's mouth, even if it is not actively sucking, and so the fluid passes through the front of the mouth and around the teeth.

Erickson's 1999 study (in which healthy teeth are immersed in various solutions) shows that only breast milk is virtually identical to water and does not cause caries. Another experiment shows that teeth become stronger when immersed in breast milk. However, when a small amount of sugar is added to breast milk, the mixture becomes even worse than a sugar solution, which leads to tooth decay. This study emphasizes the importance of good dental hygiene.

Presence of Streptococcus mutans in the mouth

this bacterium uses sugars in food to produce acid, which directly causes tooth decay. Streptococcus thrives in a combination of sugars, small amounts of saliva and low pH of saliva. It is estimated that about 20% of the population has elevated levels of the bacterium, putting them at higher risk of developing tooth decay. In infants, Streptococcus mutans can be transmitted through the mother (or other caregiver). To prevent this, avoid contact with saliva, such as sharing spoons and cups, kissing on the mouth, chewing baby food, or placing a pacifier in your mouth. On the other hand, one study shows

Lack of enough saliva (dry mouth)

Saliva is the first protection that protects teeth by washing away food debris and bacteria. However, the amount of saliva decreases during sleep and in certain health problems (asthma, diabetes, prematurity) and taking certain medications (antihistamines, benzodiazepines, antiemetics).

Fluorosis

Tooth enamel staining due to excessive fluoride intake.

 

More reasons:

  • maternal or fetal illness or stress during pregnancy;

  • stress in the child;

  • smoking during pregnancy;

  • bad eating habits of the family - reduced intake of dairy products by the child;

  • hereditary predisposition to enamel defects (hypoplasia).

And the sugar in breast milk?

Sugar in breast milk is known as lactose. It is believed that it does not have the same effect on teeth as pure sugar, as breast milk has antibacterial properties, contains enzymes and high pH levels. For example, Streptococcus mutans is highly sensitive to the bactericidal action of lactoferrin in breast milk.

What can parents do to protect their child's teeth?

  • Brush your child's teeth twice a day (morning and evening) as soon as the teeth begin to appear. If your baby is receiving anything other than breast milk (including medication), brush your teeth well before bed. Breast milk combined with sugar is a worse option than giving pure sugar.
  • Pay attention to your own hygiene - this will reduce the amount of bacteria you could pass on to your child.
  • Avoid giving too much sugar.

What about fluoride? Some parents and healthcare professionals prefer to avoid fluoride. Others find this helpful. The American Dental Association recommends the use of fluoride-containing toothpaste, an amount about the size of a grain of rice, for children under 3 years of age. If you are hesitant about this supplement, talk to your dentist about the amount of fluoride in the water you are taking and read more about fluoride intake by babies.

In summary:

Although breastfed babies can develop tooth decay, breast milk does not seem to be the cause. Foods other than breast milk are the main problem.

Some children are at higher risk of caries due to small defects in tooth enamel and / or increased levels of bacteria that cause tooth decay. In such children, weaning will not only not slow down tooth decay, but may even speed it up due to the lack of lactoferrin (an ingredient in breast milk that kills Streptococcus mutans).

There seems to be no evidence that stopping breastfeeding will prevent or stop tooth decay, but it is very important to keep teeth clean and to minimize all other risk factors.

 

More on the topic:
  • How to feed a breastfeeding woman
  • Diarrhea in breastfed babies
  • How to eliminate nighttime breastfeeding
  • Natural means of stopping breast milk

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