Pregnancy is a joyful experience, full of the wonder of creating new life. But as your body goes through monumental shifts and changes, there can be aches and pains. And these changes can even affect your teeth. It may seem bizarre, but it’s true! And that’s why you should consider dental treatments in Avon Lake when you need them.
So, what can happen?
1. Some women can experience pain in their gums or even swelling. For some, this can cause bleeding. Bleeding occurs as a result of plaque build ups. This can occur in pregnancy because hormonal changes can make your gums more susceptible to plaque. This then leads to a build-up, causing inflammation and bleeding (it is sometimes called gingivitis).
2. Hormonal changes can also affect the acidity levels in your mouth, which can increase your likelihood of cavities. It’s important to check these with your dentist.
3. Thanks to ligaments’ loosening during pregnancy, some women can experience the loosening of bones and ligaments in the mouth. This is only temporary and can result in teeth wiggling slightly. If this does occur, you should ensure you get this checked out and confirmed by a dentist.
4. Changes in your eating habits can affect your oral health. For example, if you’re craving very acidic or sugary foods, the health of your teeth and gums can be negatively affected.
5. If you suffer from morning sickness during your pregnancy, you may experience tooth erosion. This is a result of your stomach acid harming your teeth.
What can I do?
If you’re looking to maintain Dental Excellence, it’s essential to keep a close eye on your teeth and gums. If you’re at all concerned, then visiting a dentist is vital.
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy in pregnancy:
- Get regular dental checkups before, during, and after pregnancy — knowledge is power in pregnancy. A dentist will ensure your mouth stays happy and healthy throughout your pregnancy and help you catch any problems if they arise.
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day, every day — you should do this carefully and for a full two minutes.
- Floss once a day — this will reduce plaque build-up between your teeth.
- Eat as healthily as you can — this will provide you and the baby with enough nutrients to support healthy development.
- Limit the number of sweets and sugar you consume — this may be difficult, especially if that’s what you’re craving, but reducing your sugar intake will help reduce the risk of cavities.
- Avoid mouthwashes that list alcohol as one of the ingredients.
- Stop smoking — this is important for so many reasons, but it makes gum disease worse in terms of your dental hygiene.
- If you do experience morning sickness, prevent the avid from damaging your teeth by rinsing your mouth with water after you vomit.
- To reduce inflammation in your gums, you can do a salt rinse daily — that means dissolving one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, and swirl this around your mouth a few times before you swallow.
If you follow these tips you’ll be in the best position to keep healthy teeth and gums in your pregnancy. If you have an NHS dentist remember you get free dental treatment and check ups during your pregnancy and until the baby is one.
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