Your Dental Health and Pregnancy

 Why dental health is important during pregnancy

Like most things is pregnancy, we can also blame this one on hormones. Not every pregnant person experiences dental concerns but there is an increased risk, especially those have pre existing dental conditions.

Also, you may as well check it off your to do list before baby comes!

 How pregnancy impacts dental health i. Gum disease is linked to premature birth

Gum tenderness and bleeding are fairly common in pregnancy and usually go away post partum.

The same way your ankles get swollen and retain more fluid the further you are into your pregnancy, so do your gums. With elevated hormone levels, the inflammatory response may be triggered by plaque resulting in puffy and inflamed gums. This is what is called “pregnancy gingivitis.”

While it may be common, it is still important to let your care provider and your dentist know if you are experiencing dental concerns.

• Gum disease can be a factor in premature births and low weight in newborns. The bacteria growth from pregnancy gingivitis has been known to get into the blood stream and travel to the fetus.

• Pregnancy can cause teeth to become temporarily loose. Relaxin (pregnancy hormone) relaxes the cartilage between bones and make you feel loose and limber during pregnancy and helps create more space for baby to move, grow, and be born. And while this is great for your pelvic floor, its not so great on your teeth.

 How to prevent dental problems during pregnancy

• Go to your dentist regularly. Usually this is once every six months.

• Brush your teeth! I know, sounds obvious, but it can be difficult when your gums are sore and bleeding or if pregnancy nausea is triggered by a toothbrush.

• If you have morning sickness, don’t brush immediately after puking. Swish baking soda and water around first to neutralize the acid, and then brush.