Pregnancy & Dental Health – What Every Mother Needs To Know?
Dr. B. Kanagasabapathy
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
Do you know that oral care is also a part of prenatal care?
The changes that take place inside the body during pregnancy affect your teeth and gums. It makes expectant mothers susceptible to develop various oral diseases.
Such dental diseases seem normal during the prenatal period but they are worse enough to infect baby in the uterus.
For instance, untreated oral infections induce pro-inflammatory mediators like cytokines that increase the chances of miscarriage. Moreover, recent studies show that gum diseases are distinctly linked to preterm delivery.
How does pregnancy affect dental health?
Hormonal changes during pregnancy is the main factor for developing oral health problems. For example, pregnancy increases the production of hormones like progestogen and estrogen, which alters the ways our body reacts to oral microbes. Likewise, the hormone changes also cause acidity in mouth, leading to enamel erosion.
On the other hand, the modified diet a woman follow during pregnancy also affect her oral cavity.
In certain cases, pregnant women have nausea while brushing and flossing. It makes them ineffective while cleaning their mouth. This leads to bacteria flourish in their mouth.
To put it simply, the hormonal changes, inefficient brushing, modified diet during menstruation period thrive oral bacteria, leading to developing oral disorders like:
- Tooth decay
- Loose teeth
- Tooth erosion
- Pregnancy tumors (begin from dental plaque)
- Bad breath
Tips to prevent dental diseases during pregnancy
Many oral diseases are preventable with proper oral hygiene activities, dental cleanings, and periodical assessments. It means getting regular dental checkups during pregnancy will be helpful in pinpoint and fixing the underlying oral problems while the baby is developing.
We recommend these tips to pregnant women who visit our clinic for regular checkups:
- Whether it is a painkiller or Over the Counter (OTC) medication, prefer medicines and syrups recommended by your doctor. It is because the ingredients in some medicinal products have allergic reactions to our oral tissues, followed by problems like mouth sores, gum inflammation, and so on.
- Get regular treatments to cure existing oral concerns even it is a common problem like cavities before you conceived. Keep in mind that delaying oral treatments will lead to advanced problems that increase delivery problems.
- Limit sugary foods & drinks, eatables with excessive acidic compounds as sugar make microbes breed in your mouth whilst acidity ends in teeth erosion as we discussed earlier. Make a diet plan as per your doctor’s advice and add dairy products in the prescribed amount for your oral health.
- Mild discomforts like tenderness in gums occur during pregnancy how well you take care of your teeth and gums. In such cases, prefer home remedies like mouth rinsing with lukewarm saltwater. If it gets worse, consult your dental doctor as it might be a sign of severe dental concerns.
Many people believe that taking X-rays is harmful during pregnancy. The radiation used to take a picture of the bony structures are essential for some oral treatments. It is problematic only when a person is exposed too much.
Dental X-rays mandate a small amount of radiation. Meanwhile, dentists use a special apron and collar to cover pregnant women while taking X-rays. The covering protects the expectant mother and her baby. So you don’t scare about taking X-rays when you are pregnant.
Bottom line
In general, the hormone changes at various stages have certain effects on women’s oral health. Dental problems occur during the menstruation period also triggered by hormonal changes.
The existence of oral diseases and their progression can be identified with signs like bad breath, loose teeth, receding gums, mouth sores, gums bleeding intermittently, sensitive teeth, and others which many people are thinking common during pregnancy.
Hence we recommend everyone to visit your dentist periodically along with an obstetrician during pregnancy for healthy pregnancy and baby.
