What You Should Know about Breastfeeding and Dental Health

Breastfeeding is a big decision that must be made by the mother and is not one that should be made by anyone else. If a mother chooses to breastfeed, it should be because she wants to bond with baby and has made this personal decision on her own. Bottle fed babies are not poorly fed or the wrong choice and many women choose not to breastfeed and this is okay.

If you have chosen to breastfeed your baby, there are some benefits and things that you should know about the choice you made and your dental health and your baby’s dental health. Let’s take a look below.

Prevents Odd Bites

One of the benefits of breastfeeding your baby is that it will prevent problem bites for your child. When we talk about problem bites, we are referring to crooked teeth, over bites, cross bites, and under bites. These types of bites require orthodontic intervention later on in your child’s life.

While your child may still need some type of orthodontic intervention, you lessen the chances by breastfeeding your young one. Dr. Song does recommend that you bring your child into our Reno, NV office for an orthodontic consultation by the age of 7. At this time, Dr. Song will be able to determine if your child will have any issues with his or her teeth later on down the road.

Prevents Tooth Decay from Bottles

When a baby eats from a bottle, it is not uncommon for that baby to experience bottle tooth decay or bottle rot. This occurs when the bottle is allowed to stay in the baby’s mouth and the sugars from the fruit juice or milk eat away at the enamel and tooth. This can lead to serious dental issues for both the baby teeth and the permanent teeth underneath.

A breastfed baby will not usually drink from a bottle, which means that he or she will not experience this problem. HOWEVER, a breastfed baby can still develop tooth decay. If a breastfed baby’s mouth is not wiped down or his or her gums wiped after consuming milk, the milk can eat away at the teeth and cause decay to form as well.

It is important for you to brush your baby’s teeth and wipe his or her gums after EVERY meal to prevent any type of dental decay or issues. If you think your baby may have tooth decay from a bottle or not, you should call our Reno, NV office immediately.

Watch Your Prescriptions

If you have been issued any type of prescriptions, you want to make sure that you go over them with your dentist and doctor. It is safe to have dental procedures performed, but if you do need to receive a prescription, do not simply shrug it off and make sure Dr. Song knows that you are actively breastfeeding.

There are some reasons behind this. First, medications can change the taste of your actual breastmilk and this may lead to problems feeding, especially when baby will not latch anymore.
Secondly, the medication can enter into your milk supply and then be passed down to your baby. If the medication is not safe for your child, he or she may become very ill.

Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Song Today

Access Dental Care is here to help you and education you about your dental health and your baby’s dental health as you breastfeed. If you would like to schedule a dental visit in our Reno, NV office, contact us now to schedule your appointment.