How Do Women Maintain Dental Health During Pregnancy?

Being pregnant is one of the greatest boons of life and it emerges with a number of responsibilities. Among the countless other things, it involves how you care for your teeth as well.

Once you get pregnant, the hormones in the body start to enhance and alter. This especially happens with progesterone. Hormones do not just assist in the growth of your little bundle of joy inside you. They are also responsible for changing the chemistry of the body.

The mouth also gets affected by this change. As oral health is a vital component of the general health it should be maintained not only during pregnancy but throughout life.

But the reason why it is extremely important to maintain the health of the teeth and the gums during this time is that according to the best dentist in Delhi the physiologic changes during the pregnancy can affect the oral health in an adverse manner resulting in the development of a number of conditions.

Oral Conditions during Pregnancy

It is essential for you to be aware of the various changes that can happen to the teeth and the gums during pregnancy so that you can undertake proper precautions to avoid this.  Just read on.

• Benign Oral Gingival Lesions – In about 5 percent of the pregnancies a highly hyperplastic, often pedunculated and vascularised lesion of approximately 2 cms diameter can make an appearance on the anterior portion of the gums. These lesions can result from a heightened inflammatory response to the oral pathogens. After pregnancy, these usually diminish. Usually, an excision is not required in this case unless there is severe bleeding, pain or your mastication is being interfered with.
• Pregnancy Gingivitis – Your gums can swell and bleed more easily as an enhanced response to the dental plaque at the time of pregnancy. You can rinse with the salt water that you can make with 1 teaspoon in 1 cup of water for helping with the irritation. During the third-trimester pregnancy, gingivitis is most prevalent. This is most common among women who have gingivitis before pregnancy as well.
• Tooth Mobility – The bones and ligaments that are responsible for supporting the teeth can temporarily loosen up during the pregnancy that results in enhanced mobility. However, there is no tooth loss unless other complications are present.
• Dental Caries – The pregnancy can result in dental caries because of the enhanced acidity in the mouth and greater intake of sugary snacks and drinks due to pregnancy cravings together with the decreased attention to the maintenance of parental oral health.
• Erosion of Teeth – During late pregnancy, the mouth can be exposed to gastric acid more resulting from hyperemesis gravidarum and morning sickness. Rinsing with the baking soda solution can help to neutralize the associate acid.

Apart from the above, pregnant women can also be affected by periodontitis and dental problems.

Tips for Maintaining Oral Health during Pregnancy

In order to combat all these evils mentioned above from affecting the oral health here are some tips that will help to maintain your oral health during pregnancy.

• Brush Twice a Day – You should brush for a couple of minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. You should use a soft-bristled toothbrush and make sure that you put the bristles of the brush at the meeting point of the gums and the teeth. This will help to brush away the food debris and the plaque. This is where the plaque develops as well as the gum disease begins.
• Floss between the Teeth – You should floss between the teeth.
• Limit the Starchy and Sweet Foods – The starchy and the sweet snacks can cause acid attacks on the teeth. You should eat fewer sweets and drink a lesser amount of sugary drinks. The sweets and the sodas can cause the cavities and hence you need to eat more vegetables and fruits.
• Use Anti-microbial Mouth Rinse – If you need assistance in controlling plaque you should use the anti-microbial mouth rinse.
• Have Foods that Are High in Calcium – You need the calcium for the teeth and the bones of the baby. The calcium can be found in cheese, milk, dried beans, and leafy greens.
• Tackle Morning Sickness – If you have morning sickness and are continuously vomiting you should try to rinse with a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water for stopping the stomach acid from attacking the teeth.
• Manage the Dry Mouth – You should drink plenty of water for staying hydrated at the time of pregnancy. Your mouth can be moisturized by ice chips. too and this can also help to relieve the pregnancy nausea.
• See the Dentist – Get the teeth checked and cleaned by the top dentist in Delhi. You should also opt for any dental work that is recommended by her. Proper oral care is essential as without it the germs causing cavities can be passed on to the baby after its birth.

The above are some of the ways in which women should take care of their oral health during pregnancy so that they can go through a more or less trouble-free pregnancy and also make sure that they welcome their little bundle of joy without casting any oral threat towards the baby.

Author Bio 

Nitesh is a well-known health blogger with specialization in oral care and dental hygiene. He regularly posts on treatments for any problem with teeth, gums or mouth. You can benefit from his domain knowledge, know about root canal treatment cost and plan your oral care easily. 

Hope you enjoyed this article How Do Women Maintain Dental Health During Pregnancy?