Dental health forms a major component of your overall body health. Your gums, teeth and jaw are a main part of your appearance, smile and digestion.
Some conditions increase the threat damaged teeth, and one of the main one is pregnancy. When expectant, you can lose your teeth if you don’t look after them the right way. Additionally, your unborn baby is at a high risk of developing dental caries if you don’t take care of yourself.
So, what steps can you take to ensure your teeth are well taken care of and to protect your kid as well?
Understanding Pregnancy and Oral Health
There is a connection between pregnancy and your dental health. For one, when you get pregnant, particular hormones – estrogen and progesterone increase. These hormones have a link to development of some dental issues.
When you become pregnant, you eating habits also change. You get a lot of cravings that are due to the condition. These cravings are usually for sweet foods – the biggest precursor for tooth decay.
As you enter the second trimester of pregnancy, you start experiencing fatigue. This fatigue makes you start finding it hard to cook nutritious food – and opt for junk. Additionally, you won’t have the energy to clean your teeth like you used to. For many expectant mothers, the taste of the toothpaste leaves a bad taste in the mouth, leading to avoidance.
The Dangers of Poor Dental Health in Pregnancy
When you don’t clean your teeth regularly when pregnant, you might experience the following problems:
Dental Cavities
When your enamel gets eroded, you run the danger of developing dental cavities. Since you are too tired to clean your teeth regularly, you might end up with dental cavities.
The only resolution for dental cavities that have gone too far is to extract the affected teeth and use dental implants to fill the gap.
Gingivitis
One of the most vulnerable parts of the oral cavity is the oral tissues. When these tissues, especially the gums get infected, it becomes inflamed. Irritation of the gums is called gingivitis. The risk of gingivitis multiplies when you conceive.
Loose Teeth
When hormone levels rise in pregnancy, they make these tissues to become loose, including the gum tissue. When gum tissues become loose, they make the teeth wobble, and if untreated, you stand to lose your teeth. Lost teeth need restorative procedures such as dental implants for resolution.
Dental Tumors
These are small tumors that develop on the gum surface. These tumors become red and bleed on touch. They are painful, but thankfully they go away once you deliver.
Dental Erosion
One of the signs of morning sickness is vomiting. Vomiting exposes your teeth to acid, which in turn erodes your enamel, causing dental caries.
Tips to Avoid Dental Issues in Pregnancy
You run a high risk of dental issues when you are expectant. It doesn’t matter whether you are expecting your first child or a subsequent one – you still have to take precautions. Here are tips to follow:
Clean Your Teeth Regularly
Ensure you brush your teeth using a soft-bristled brush and a recommended toothpaste or mouthwash twice daily. Doing this keeps the plaque away.
Take Antacids
If you can’t tolerate the taste of toothpaste, buy antacids to help neutralize the stomach acids. Additionally, take a lot of water to wash away acid in the mouth that might corrode the enamel.
Your enamel is a vital form of defense against dental decay. When it gets corroded, it exposes the delicate dentin, nerves and blood vessels. All these contents need protection against the harsh dental environment.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
When pregnant, issues can arise more regularly than when you aren’t expectant. This is why it is ideal to visit the dentist at least in six months. Additionally, have you dentist’s number so that when an issue arises, you call the dentist immediately.
Limit Your Intake of Sugar
When you get pregnant, the cravings will come – a lot of them. If you give in to the cravings, you will end up with dental decay that will complicate the pregnancy. So, find a way to enjoy nutritious food that isn’t high in sugar levels.
In Closing
Pregnancy is the best time for you to take care of your teeth because any misshap and you might affect your unborn baby. The good thing is that your dentist can handel any dental problems that arise during pregnancy. Make sure you are working with a dentist that knows what to do when you are faced with a dental emergency.
