While pregnant, there are some things you need to keep in mind when it comes to teeth health – for you and your baby. Read the pregnancy dental care guide here.
If you’re an expecting mother, there’s a good chance that you’re feeling a mix of excitement, joy, and maybe some stress right now. And for good reason– everyone wants their baby to come out healthy.
There’s a ton of instructions and rules to follow while pregnant. What to eat, which vitamins to take, how to exercise, and even how and when to travel. All of these tips and rules are in place to make sure your baby and you come out of your pregnancy as healthy as possible.
One aspect of prenatal care that many expecting mothers don’t often consider is pregnancy dental care.
Fear not! Prenatal care for your baby’s chompers as well as yours is simple and immensely beneficial. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Back to Basics: Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Practing good oral hygiene should go without saying, but we’re going to really stress this one. It is incredibly important to make sure you’re taking care of your own teeth as well as the rest of your body while you are expecting.
Keep Brushing
You should be brushing your teeth, specifically with flouridated toothpaste, twice a day. No exceptions. Skipping morning or evening brushing is terrible for everybody, pregnant or not. You should also be careful to never share your toothbrush with someone else. (Does anybody actually do that?)
Rinse After Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is no joke and happens to just about every pregnant person. If you happen to vomit, try to remember to rinse your mouth afterwards with a bit of baking soda and water to keep the acid from stripping away at the enamel of your teeth.
Rinse In General
Don’t skip the mouthwash! In order to really get your teeth clean, you should be using an alcohol-free flouride mouthrinse every night before bed.
Chew Gum After Meals
If you are a gum addict, this one should be easy. After midday meals remember to chew gum containing the sugar substitute xylitol to help cut down on bacteria that could be lingering in your mouth.
Floss, Floss, Floss!
Remember to clean between your pearly whites with tooth floss at least once a day. Dentists agree that flossing is an incredibly important step in proper tooth care, yet few people remember to do it regularly.
These basic practices will benefit you quite a bit during your pregnancy. Try to stick to them before and after your baby is born and make them a habit.
Go To The Dentist… Seriously
You are probably seeing a ton of medical professionals and specialists right now, from your OB/GYN to midwives to family practice doctors. This is stressful and time-consuming, without a doubt.
However, you really should not skip out on your dentist.
You should visit your dentist at least once or twice during your pregnancy. Regular visits to the dentist are hugely beneficial and should be mandatory for everybody with teeth, especially expecting mothers.
Contact your local trusted dental office and let them know about your pregnancy and when your due date is. This way, a qualified dentist will be able to provide you with the specific care you need.
My Teeth Won’t Be Affected by My Pregnancy… Right?
Unfortunately, this is very wrong. Your body changes drastically while you are with child and your mouth is no exception.
Pregnancy Gingivitis
This common oral disease affects many people at some point in their lives, and most don’t know how easy it is to get the disease when you’re pregnant. Similar to pregnancy diabetes and other problems that just sort of happen when you’re pregnant, pregnancy gingivitis can happen to you.
Tooth Decay
Women become very suseptible to cavitities while they are pregnant. This usually happens because of an increased intake of carbs and vomiting from morning sickness.
Tumors
Don’t worry, this sounds much worse that it actually is. Pregnancy tumors are overgrown patches of tissue that can form on the gums during the second trimester. They are not cancerous, but they are very uncomfortable and usually bleed.
Proper oral health care including x-rays, certain pain medications, and local anethesia are not only safe to implement during pregnancy but should definitely be used if you’re suffering from any of the above afflictions.
Be Mindful of What You Eat, For You And Your Baby
There’s not a pregnant woman on this earth who has not had at least some kind of weird pregnancy craving, such as eating chicken quasadillas every day or drinking pickle juice. Drastic hormonal shifts during pregnancy are most likely the culprit behind pregnancy cravings.
The most common kinds of pregnancy cravings are usually sugary sweet snacks, such as cupcakes, candy, or chocolate shakes. While it is perfectly fine to indulge every once in a while, be mindful of how much sugar you are consuming during your pregnancy.
The more sugar you consume, the greater your chances of developing tooth decay are. Tooth decay isn’t just awful and downright dangerous for your health, but it can affect the health of your unborn baby as well.
Foods To Eat For Your Baby’s Tooth Health
Your little one’s first set of teeth begin to develop three to four months into your pregnancy.
Do your best to stick to a filling and balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Healthy dairy products such as cheese and yogurt contain the necessary minerals to help your baby’s developing gums, bones, and teeth.
Remember This Pregnancy Dental Care Guide, But Don’t Stress Yourself Out
In conclusion, it is important to remember that stress is your biggest enemy during pregnancy. While there is a lot of intimidating information in this article, there’s no need to scramble for an emergency dentist visit. Watch what you eat, take care of your teeth and gums, make an appointment with a qualified dentist, and be sure to eat some healthy dairy products.
Have you experienced any tooth problems during your pregnancy? Did you know about what to expectt? We’d like to hear about it, so why not leave us a comment?