Breastfed babies/fluoride suppliments?

[LoveBWVVBR]

If you breastfed exclusively, did you give your baby/toddler fluoride suppliments? Our ped. perscribed them for 13 month-old DD (strictly fluoride, nothing else in this suppliment). I have exclusively breastfed her since birth (she obviously also eats regular table food now) and never supplimented with formula. We drink bottled water, so she doesn't get fluoride from drinking water.

I filled the perscription but I'm still on the fence about giving them to her. Her pediatric dentist said that there is too much fluoride in fluoride suppliments and not to give them, but her pediatrician said that parents who don't give these suppliments always end up with kids who have cavities I don't want her to get cavities, but I also don't want her to have spotty adult teeth from too much fluoride. There is a lot of anti-fluoride info out there too. To say that I'm confused about what to do would be an understatement.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

No.

I leave their dental care up to the dentist and if the dentist is telling you not to use it....I think that trumps the pediatrician.

My oldest just got her first flouride rinse last year.


She hasn't had any cavities yet.

We even use Flouride free toothpaste. In fact...for my 4yo--they said the scrubbing action of brushing was more important than the toothpaste.

ETA: is the doctor checking for cavities SOP? Our doc has never asked about dental health in that manner.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

What is SOP?

I don't think he's checking for cavities. He just said that if I didn't give her the fluoride, that she'd definitely have cavities in the future

Oddly, DD's dentist uses the same ped. that we do for his kids. I wish they'd come to some sort of meeting of the minds on this one, LOL!

I agree with you about the dentist trumping the ped. when it comes to teeth. I think that that's why I stopped short of actually giving DD the fluoride.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Do research on fluoride. There are lots of opinions out there on whether it is beneficial or not.

I did not give the drops to my BF kids nor did our Ped. recommend them.

 

[mtemm]

yes, I did. I think we started them at 6 months, though? my youngest will be 3 in march so its been a while. their pediatric dentist says their teeth look great, so hopefully its helping.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What is SOP?

standard operating procedure...just seems odd if your child is seeing a dentist that the doctor would basically tell you that the dentist...one who studied teeth..is wrong. That is the impression I get from your pediactrician.

 

[PaulaSue]

No, I BF only but I do let the dentist do the floride treatments when they are older.

 

[autumnbaby9]

My DD6 (who was breastfeed) got the floride treatments (At our central district health department) about every 6-8 months from the time she was 2-5. After that we started her at a Peds Dentist and they have been doing the floride treatments when she gets her cleanings.

Since she has such cavity prone teeth they did suggest we start her on a flouride rinse called ACT at home. It is available at the grocery store and we have her do it each night.

If your child's dentist does not suggest you do the treatments I would listen to him. The doctor is knowledgable and is probably just trying to help but he didn't go to school to take care of teeth.

 

[MushyMushy]

I would go with what the ped dentist says. That said, however, I breastfed DD exclusively and she had the worst teeth ever -- ended up having all kinds of work done between the ages of 3 and 5. We took care of them, and she never had any sugars.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

We only drank bottled water at the time my kids were little, and I just bought them the fluoride water and didn't do the tablets. We lived in an area where there wasn't fluoride added to the water as well, but I passed on the tablets as well.

 

[Nicolepa]

My FIL is a dentist and he says absolutly no way no how give them the flouride supplements. We don't have flouride in our water so he says to give them a bottle of the flouide water a day. He says all they need is one bottle a day.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Hi, my Dad is a dentist and I am a hygienist...do NOT give the flouride supplements. Just let her have a little bit of flouridated water (they do sell it at the stores) or white grape juice. White grape juice has flouride in it....not many people are aware of that.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Hi, my Dad is a dentist and I am a hygienist...do NOT give the flouride supplements. Just let her have a little bit of flouridated water (they do sell it at the stores) or white grape juice. White grape juice has flouride in it....not many people are aware of that.

Is there a specific brand of white grape juice that I should buy? Also, how much of this would I give to a 13 month-old per day? She has never had juice before...just breastmilk and spring water.

I feel so much better about not giving DD the fluoride suppliments after reading the responses here!! Thanks everyone!

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

standard operating procedure...just seems odd if your child is seeing a dentist that the doctor would basically tell you that the dentist...one who studied teeth..is wrong. That is the impression I get from your pediactrician.

Yep, your impression is correct. When DD's ped. was telling me that I needed to give her the fluoride suppliment I told him that her dentist said that I shouldn't. His exact words were "he's wrong" That's why I got so confused.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Is there a specific brand of white grape juice that I should buy? Also, how much of this would I give to a 13 month-old per day? She has never had juice before...just breastmilk and spring water.

I feel so much better about not giving DD the fluoride suppliments after reading the responses here!! Thanks everyone!

Any brand is Ok, but Welch's really does have a better flavor in my kid's opinion. I would just give her about 4-5 oz per day....that should be plenty.

 

[Beca]

Do research on fluoride. There are lots of opinions out there on whether it is beneficial or not.

I did not give the drops to my BF kids nor did our Ped. recommend them.

I recommend that as well. I exclusively breastfed my dd, and did no flouride supps. She is 5, and still uses toothpaste w/o flouride. She has had no cavities. However, we are not fans of flouride...neither dh nor I use flouride toothpaste either.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I was breastfed and never used flouride supplements. Now I am 25 and have never had a cavity. Seems to me you should listen to the dentist.

 

[KristiKelly]

I BF all 3 of mine, #3 for 16-1/2 mo. My pediatrician never mentioned flouride supplements. I don't think I would do it.

 

[GraysMom]

OK, first let me say that DH and I were both BF babies. DH teeth are cavity free and so strong that they broke several drill bits the one time the dentist wanted to fill a deep groove in his tooth as a precaution (never did get it drilled out, the dentist figured it must be OK if he couldn't get into it). My teeth, on the other hand, are a mess. I have a ton of cavities, most of them filled twice (the first dentist didn't get all of the decay out so they went deeper into the root ). DH had town water and I drank well water. He also had sealants put on his teeth and I definitely think that helped, along with the fluoride he got in the water. With DS2, we talked with my brother (he's a dentist) about what we should do, given my awful teeth and him being BF. DB said not to do fluoride until he got to 18 months, and then he gave us a prescription for a multivitamin that contains a little fluoride (DS drinks bottled water as well). We'll see how DS's teeth hold up in the long run-he's definitely getting sealants as soon as he's old enough (hoping he got DH's teeth). I'm curious to see what other's who have older children have to say about their experiences.

 

[mjkacmom]

OK, first let me say that DH and I were both BF babies. DH teeth are cavity free and so strong that they broke several drill bits the one time the dentist wanted to fill a deep groove in his tooth as a precaution (never did get it drilled out, the dentist figured it must be OK if he couldn't get into it). My teeth, on the other hand, are a mess. I have a ton of cavities, most of them filled twice (the first dentist didn't get all of the decay out so they went deeper into the root ). DH had town water and I drank well water. He also had sealants put on his teeth and I definitely think that helped, along with the fluoride he got in the water. With DS2, we talked with my brother (he's a dentist) about what we should do, given my awful teeth and him being BF. DB said not to do fluoride until he got to 18 months, and then he gave us a prescription for a multivitamin that contains a little fluoride (DS drinks bottled water as well). We'll see how DS's teeth hold up in the long run-he's definitely getting sealants as soon as he's old enough (hoping he got DH's teeth). I'm curious to see what other's who have older children have to say about their experiences.

Most of my children had just formula, and we have no flouride in our water. I was given a prescription for multivitamins with flouride, but I'm not that good about giving it to them daily. My 10 year old has had a few cavities, one which resulted in having the tooth removed. My 8 and 4 year olds have also had a cavity filled. I think genetics play a huge role. My 10 and 8 year olds have sealants, and the other children will get them too.