A healthy mouth and smile begin early in your child’s development.

Breastfeeding, Suckling and Baby’s First Dental Visit

For some new mothers, breastfeeding their newborn can be uncomfortable during the first few days. The good news is the discomfort should not continue much beyond that and the benefit to your child’s wellbeing far outweighs the short-term hardship. If, however you experience continued issues nursing your infant after birth, you may wish to seek assistance from a trained lactation consultant.

A lactation professional has received the specialized training necessary to assist in helping you nurse your infant correctly and comfortably, plus they can offer tips and tricks to make your experience one that further strengthens the bond between mother and infant. Most importantly, if you are experiencing ongoing problems with breastfeeding, a lactation professional can evaluate your infant for physiological issues such as tongue tie. Present at birth, tongue tie is a condition which restricts baby’s tongue range of motion and creates significant difficulty in nursing. While the prevalence of tongue tie is hotly debated, it is purported that anywhere between 3-15% may have the affliction. Because the data is still indeterminate and the level or nature of severity a matter of dispute, the team at Detail Dental Kids highly recommends having a trained lactation consultant evaluate your infant for a tongue tie. If they or you suspect tongue tie could be an issue for your baby, seek consultation from Dr. Sara right away for proper diagnosis and treatment.

You may already know breastfeeding helps baby through optimal nutrition and acquired immunity from mom, as well as promotes bonding and social interactions. But did you know breastfeeding also helps stimulate proper growth, development of the airway and structures of the mouth and face? What’s more, suckling as a foundational skill will later assist your child in development of other oral skills such as chewing, swallowing, and even speaking.

Detail Dental Kids follows the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) guidelines regarding your child’s first dental visit. It is recommended they have their first visit at age 1 and includes evaluation of your child’s development, examination for baby bottle tooth decay, as well as review of oral hygiene and infant feeding practices.