@seekingwanderer I had no idea because I swear that I was told by someone I thought knew better (midwife or something maybe?) that breastmilk doesn’t rot teeth. Lies! Lol. Poor baby.
@katrina2017 I have never heard of rinsing the baby's mouth after breastmilk. In fact, we were told no water at all until solids, and even then, only small sips. Baby has no teeth and we brush his gums once a day during bath time.. time for me to go down a new rabbit hole
@mayfrancis Firstgrin is a great resource you can use. Their instagram page and app has info on how to care for baby teeth. You should wipe down their gums after drinking milk before bed to get them used to it. Then use a small rice sized amount of tooth paste once their teeth comes in
@mayfrancis Once baby has teeth, you want to clean them and avoid nursing/feeding at night as much as possible. Not even breastmilk is amazing enough to be safe on teeth overnight. It is very high in sugar, which promotes bacterial growth which leads to tooth decay.
My babies have all gotten their teeth very early, which made things a bit challenging to balance oral hygiene with their night feeding needs.
@mayfrancis If your baby has no teeth you’re safe, it’s once they start coming in. She nursed until she was 3 (in part due to other medical issues that affected her feeding) so that was why it was so extreme. She’s always been super tiny and thin and we weren’t about to refuse her but looking back we should have been more vigilant about her teeth.
@katrina2017 Are we not supposed to brush their teeth from the time they come in? Now I’m trying to remember who, if anyone, instructed us on tooth brushing. It had to be the pediatrician, right?
In our case we did, morning and night. Same as with her older sister who never had a cavity. But in her case she woke up to nurse 10x a night minimum and those times, as well as after each and every daytime snack, we didn’t make her brush her teeth or anything. So the constant exposure to milk rotted her teeth.
@7pace7 Me either. I’ve really considered making some kind of PSA on the main parenting sub because it seems like a lot of parents have no idea it can happen. But they might decide to roast me for not brushing her teeth 25 times a day because people suck so I haven’t. Lol.
@mayfrancis Once they have teeth you can def brush them with water and and actually toothpaste so they aren't saying have baby drink water but rinse the teeth! So different than drinking the water ya know
@johnachillies Until she was 3 and she went once as an infant (all was fine but she was terrified) but not at all when the pandemic hit, she’s already had immunity issues so we weren’t putting her in danger for that. I’m sure that was the last straw for her poor teeth.
@katrina2017 Thanks so much for sharing! I had no idea this could happen so very eye opening for me. Really appreciate this, I think it's a very worthwhile PSA!
@yoshinat0r I comfort nursed both of mine and they are incredibly attached and connected in a healthy way and fiercely independent when they want to be. I think it’s an innate need by babies to want to be near their mothers, they know only you for nine months and the worlds so scary and new… I don’t see any harm in being their peace.
@johnachillies They both weaned at two. My first I had to have emergency dental surgery and ended up ending then, my second weaned a few days before their second birthday
@yoshinat0r Pacifiers are artificial nipples. Your nippels are meant for this and your baby displays natural age appropriate behaviour, its a phase, if you are okay with it, go with the flow.
@yoshinat0r You do you, mama. Personally, I let mine nurse for any reason and I don’t regret it. Also do yourself a favor and stop asking the internet for advice and just go with your gut. May save you some unnecessary guilt / anxiety
