When you’re pregnant, everything about your body changes. This extends to your teeth and gums. Your hormonal fluctuations, cravings and snacking, and providing nutrients for two can lead to dental problems. By being careful and paying attention to what your teeth are telling you, you can avoid health problems ranging from mild to quite serious. This blog post compiles our top tips for pregnant patients, so that you can get all the care you need and reach the end of your pregnancy with a healthy smile (and with your baby’s healthy smile as well!).
Dental Tips During Your Pregnancy
Over half of all pregnant women experience pregnancy-induced gingivitis. This gum inflammation can lead to periodontal disease, full on gum infection. Increased hormones cause an extreme reaction to plaque, which manifests itself as swelling, bleeding, and redness across the gums. From the second to eighth month of pregnancy, these gum changes will be obvious and can be uncomfortable. The steps you can take to minimize this include:
- Regular dental visits – You should let your dentist know as soon as you know you’re pregnant, so that we can take the proper steps to both protect you from radiation during x-rays and watch your gums for signs of infection. Maintain frequent visits (we will confer with you as to how frequent they should be) so that we can keep an eye on your oral health.
- Consistent flossing – Flossing is so important in your fight against plaque-forming bacteria. If your gums are too sensitive to floss, try using soft floss or a waterpik.
- Balanced diet – We know you’re highly nutrition-conscious during pregnancy. But getting enough calcium, phosphorous, protein, and vitamins A, C, and D will keep you and your baby’s teeth and bones strong.
- Careful with cravings – Watching your snacking will help keep down bacteria levels in the mouth. Try your best to eat mainly at mealtimes, and clean your teeth afterwards.
Oral Health and Systemic Health
Your oral health is connected to your whole-body health. Periodontal disease during pregnancy can actually lead to a greater chance of preeclampsia during delivery. Let our Denver team help you through this rewarding but challenging time. Get in touch to learn more about dental care during your pregnancy.