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Swansea, MA 02777
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Breastfeeding and Oral Health
Breastfeeding provides important nutritional, developmental, and emotional benefits for many infants. Parents often have questions about how breastfeeding affects oral health, tooth development, and cavity risk. Understanding current recommendations and common feeding concerns can help families make informed decisions that support healthy growth and development.
How Breastfeeding Supports Oral Development
"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of an infants life, followed by complementary introduction of solid foods at 6 months and continued breastfeeding up to age 2 or as long as mutually desired. The advantages of breastfeeding are the child's optimal nutrition and immunity, promoting bonding and social interactions, and helping stimulate proper growth and development of the airway and structures of the mouth and face. Breastfeeding is a foundational oral skill that is succeeded by other oral skills, such as chewing, swallowing, and speaking." (Baxter, R. Tongue Tied. Chapter 4, p35)
Having trouble with latch / breastfeeding?
While 81% of mothers start breastfeeding, only 22% make it to the 6 month mark. A few popular reasons for stopping breastfeeding include difficulty obtaining a successful latch, persistent and/or severe pain for the mother, and inadequate milk supply or a baby that "just prefers a bottle." In all of these cases, a tongue and/or lip tie may be the culprit. It is estimated that one in four children have a restrictive tie beneath the tongue. Many of these go un-diagnosed and overlooked by well-meaning healthcare providers whose solutions include nipple shields and bottle feeding. While these may be effective, they do not resolve the root cause of the problem. As a result, we believe it is worthwhile to at least have a consultation with a healthcare professional trained in evaluation of tongue ties or "tethered oral tissues" (TOTs) before giving up on breastfeeding. We have a neighboring practice dedicated to evaluations for these types of concerns: Tongue & Lip-Tie Center of New England
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