How to Prevent Losing Teeth During Pregnancy

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Pregnancy is truly a delicate time for expectant women because of the drastic hormonal changes that affect practically every aspect of their bodies, including their oral health. During pregnancy, the risks of gum disease increases, which also puts the baby's health at risk. This is why taking good care of teeth as well as gums is very important for pregnant women.

If you are still at the stage of planning to have a baby, do your best to have a dental checkup prior to your pregnancy to ensure that you receive professional teeth cleaning before getting pregnant. At the same time, the dentist will be able to examine your gum tissue and detect if there are any dental health problems that need to be treated.

For women who are already pregnant, eating right during pregnancy will not only benefit your baby but also your teeth. It is common to have cravings for sweets during pregnancy but avoiding sugary foods and keeping your snacking to a minimum is essential to prevent tooth decay. Be aware that the bacteria that forms tooth decay can be transmitted to your developing baby so it is crucial that you take care of your teeth. Start by learning more about tooth decay and how to prevent it.

Make sure to maintain a diet that is both healthy and balanced. Ideally, it should contain cheese, yogurt and other dairy products, all of which are excellent sources of essential minerals that help develop strong teeth and gums. A baby's first set of teeth form during the pregnancy's first trimester.

Needless to say, whether you're pregnant or not, practicing good oral hygiene regularly will prevent or lessen oral health problems. However, if you have terrible morning sickness and the taste of your toothpaste just makes you feel worse so you would rather not brush your teeth, switch to toothpaste with a bland taste. If you throw up frequently, make sure to rinse out your mouth with a mouth rinse or just plain water to wash out the acid in the vomit and prevent it from eroding the tooth enamel.

You can receive basic dental care during your second trimester. It is very important to inform your dentist that you are pregnant. It is strongly recommended that you avoid any dental treatments when you are on your first trimester and during the latter half of your third trimester. This is to prevent your exposure to any substance or procedure that could be detrimental to your baby during the critical periods of development.

Likewise, dental X-rays should be avoided during pregnancy. Although technological advances have made X-ray procedures a lot safer now than they were several decades ago, a pregnant woman getting a dental X-ray would only be an option in emergency cases. What pregnant women should not miss are regular dental checkups, particularly gum examinations because of the increased risk of tender and bleeding gums.

After giving birth to your baby, schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible especially if you suffered any gum problems while you were pregnant so you can have a thorough dental evaluation. Whether you are pregnant now or at pre or post-pregnancy stage, please feel free to call us for any of your dental concerns.

These hormonal changes increase the risk of developing gum disease because it makes gums more sensitive, which makes it easier for gingivitis to develop, and this can affect the health of the unborn baby.

Periodontal Disease

It is very common to experience pregnancy gingivitis, identified by and uncomfortable swelling, bleeding, redness or softness in the gum tissue. A more advanced oral health condition (periodontal disease) may also affect the health of your baby. Research has shown that an expectant mother suffering from periodontal disease might deliver a premature, low birth weight baby. As a matter of fact, these pregnant women may be seven times more likely to have a baby that is born earlier and smaller that the usual, which may increase the risk for future health problems and disabilities.

Scaling and Root Planning

If you're pregnant and receive a positive diagnose for periodontal disease, our dentist recommends a common non-surgical procedure called scaling and root planning. With this procedure the root of your tooth or teeth are deeply cleaned to remove plaque, tartar and bacterial toxins, this may reduce the risk of having premature or low weighted births. Additionally, this procedure should reduce many of the pregnancy gingivitis symptoms.

Here are some Tips for pregnant women to follow:

•     Even though sweets are craved a lot when we are pregnant, these should be avoided. Always remember that the more sweets you eat, the greater chance you have of developing tooth decay, plus studies have shown that the bacteria that causes tooth decay is passed genetically from mother to child.
•     For precaution, during the first trimester and second half of the third trimester dental treatments should be avoided as much as possible. You need to let your dentist know about you pregnancy and have routine dental care and checkups.
•     Always eat a healthy, balanced diet. This is very important because your baby's first teeth begin to develop around after the third month of your pregnancy.
•     Pay special attention to any changes in your gums during pregnancy.
•     Maintain a good oral hygiene to prevent or reduce oral health related problems.
•     If you can't stand the toothpaste and toothbrush sensation due to morning sickness, change your toothpaste and toothbrush to a softer one.

Routine Checkups

Never skip your dental routine checkups at your dental office just because you are pregnant, this is the most essential time to have you regular gum examinations and routine checkups to prevent or treat any condition that might affect your baby's health. Taking care of ourselves properly is the starting point for a complication-free and healthy life for your baby.