Dental Care During Pregnancy

Being pregnant can be very challenging sometimes. While it is a miracle and a gift that you are creating life, you may also be experiencing some not so miraculous symptoms of growing a human in your body. A little-known fact is that there can be complications if you don’t get proper dental care during pregnancy. You probably already knew about the typical symptoms such as nausea, but here are a few pregnancy-related dental health issues that you should know about. If you still have questions after reading this post, please contact Teach Dental Group to arrange a free consultation.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Many women experience something about pregnancy gingivitis. If you are experiencing tender gums that are swollen, red, and bleed when you try to care for them, you may have pregnancy gingivitis. It is not a serious condition and is usually caused by the changes in your hormones that increase the blood flow to your gum tissue, thereby making your gums more sensitive than usual. It can even cause pain, discomfort and swelling. This condition is benign and will usually go away after you deliver you baby, but it’s important to get proper dental care during pregnancy to either get them removed, or ensure they are indeed benign lumps.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness can be a very unpleasant part of pregnancy. If you have been suffering from morning sickness, especially past the first trimester, you may have noticed that it is changing the way your teeth feel. Unfortunately, morning sickness can cause your enamel to erode. The acid in your stomach can damage your enamel which can in turn damage your teeth as the enamel is your teeth’s protective layer.

The best way to lessen the impact of morning sickness on your teeth is to rinse your mouth with a fluoride rinse that does not have alcohol and to brush your teeth after an hour or so. Brushing immediately after with the acid of your stomach coating your teeth can harm your enamel further.

If you are experiencing morning sickness during pregnancy and have concerns it is damaging your teeth, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your dentist to ensure you are maintaining proper dental care during your pregnancy.

Download Our Free Dental Treatment Guide

Getting Proper Dental Care During Pregnancy

Since oral health impacts your overall health, having a healthy mouth can save you a lot of trouble during and after your pregnancy. Despite the outdated notion that going to the dentist during pregnancy is not safe, pregnancy is usually not an issue when going to the dentist. There is always a concern with radiation from dental x-rays, so we tend not to take x-rays when a woman is pregnant but if there is an emergency and we need to take an x-ray, we can always “double drape” the protective layers to minimize the radiation even further.

We use lead aprons that will protect the fetus. In addition, most obstetricians tend to tell us not to use anesthetics in the first trimester, especially those that contain vasoconstrictors. If you have a condition that would require anesthesia to treat it, you may consider either waiting until your second trimester or postponing it for after your pregnancy. You should have that conversation with both your dentist and your doctor.

If you or someone you love is pregnant and are in need of dental care, please contact Teach Dental Group today for a free consultation. Our dedicated Buffalo dentists would love to help you keep your mouth healthy and provide caring and compassionate dental care during your pregnancy.

Follow us on Facebook for daily updates!