- Dealing with hormonal changes
- Navigating morning sickness
- Optimize your nutrition plan
- X-rays during pregnancy
- Using painkillers and antibiotics while pregnant
- Maintain good oral hygiene throughout pregnancy
- Visiting the dentist while pregnant
- Preconception and postpartum dental checkups
Many of these changes are quite common and are often explained away as part and parcel of pregnancy. However, changes in your oral health should not be ignored. Your oral health team needs to address any dental issues as soon as they come to light to prevent future problems.
Learning you’re about to have a new addition to your family brings unparalleled joy and anticipation into your life. However, as the due date approaches, expectant mothers can also experience uncomfortable changes in their bodies, such as swollen feet, sudden aversion to favourite foods, and feelings of exhaustion.
Here is what expectant mothers need to know to navigate their pregnancy and oral health successfully.
Dealing with hormonal changes
Fluctuations in your progesterone and estrogen can cause swollen, bleeding gums, a condition commonly referred to as pregnancy gingivitis. If left untreated, this can escalate to a severe gum disease called periodontitis. It is believed that there are links between gum disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, premature birth, and low birth weight, so it’s critical to see your dentist right away at the first sign of gingivitis.
Additionally, some women experience non-cancerous growths on the gums, known as pregnancy tumours. These also warrant an examination by your dental health team before the issue worsens.
Navigating morning sickness
Nausea is very common during pregnancy. However, it’s more than an annoyance; morning sickness can negatively impact oral health. Stomach acid produced during bouts of nausea can damage the surface of your teeth and promote tooth decay.
We recommend rinsing with water after throwing up or, in the case of severe nausea, swishing and spitting a quarter teaspoon of baking soda mixed with room-temperature water to help neutralize the acid. Avoid brushing before rinsing, as your toothbrush may brush the stomach acid into the teeth.
Although eating well is critical to maintaining your overall well-being and giving your baby the nutrition they need to develop properly, it’s also essential to your own oral health. Cutting down on sugary and acidic food and drinks—no matter how much you might crave them—can dramatically reduce your risk of tooth decay. Nuts, fruits, vegetables, and cheese are great for snacking and contain vitamins and minerals essential for promoting healthy teeth and gums.
Optimize your nutrition plan
Foods that contain calcium, such as milk, cheese, and green leafy vegetables, are also essential for bone health, which can be affected during pregnancy.
X-rays during pregnancy
Always tell your dentist if you are pregnant or suspect you might be, especially if there’s a chance you will need a dental X-ray. Although low doses of radiation carry a minimal risk of affecting an unborn baby, your dentist will likely wait until after the birth.
However, if you need X-rays due to a dental emergency, you will be shielded from the radiation by a lead apron.
Using painkillers and antibiotics while pregnant
Some dental procedures require the use of painkillers or antibiotics after treatment. It is generally safe to use them while pregnant, but be sure to inform your dentist if you are or may be pregnant so they can ensure the safety of you and your baby before prescribing medication.
Also, tell your dentist about any medicines or supplements you are taking during pregnancy to give them a complete picture of your current medication program.
Maintain good oral hygiene throughout pregnancy
A good oral hygiene routine is essential to follow at any time in life, but especially during pregnancy. Be sure to brush twice daily using fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque and floss once daily for optimal interdental cleaning to help keep your mouth healthy. Also, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and rinse after meals to remove loose food particles between your teeth.
Visiting the dentist while pregnant
Visiting the dentist for regular dental cleanings, examinations, fillings, and root canals is perfectly safe while pregnant. Treatments for periodontitis or pregnancy gingivitis that involve a deep cleaning under the gums are also safe for expectant mothers. The only risk is a slight soreness of the gums after the procedure, which would happen even if you weren’t pregnant.
However, elective or cosmetic treatments may be postponed until after delivery.
Preconception and postpartum dental checkups
If you plan on becoming pregnant, schedule a dental checkup so your dentist can address and solve any existing dental issues before conceiving. This will allow your dentist to address any existing dental problems, provide prenatal dental tips, and answer your questions on maintaining good oral health throughout your pregnancy.
After you give birth, it’s a good idea to visit the dentist as soon as possible so they can treat any dental issues that may have arisen during your pregnancy.
Yonge Eglinton Dental: Trusted dental care for expecting mothers
Pregnancy and oral health go hand in hand. At Yonge Eglinton Dental, we understand the concerns of expectant mothers. Our team can help you throughout your pregnancy with trusted prenatal dental tips, empathetic oral health care, and postpartum oral health support.
We also welcome you to bring your child in for a dental examination when it’s appropriate to start them off on a lifetime of bright, beautiful smiles. We will help you determine when to book their first dental visit, so they become comfortable having their teeth and gums examined, giving them a healthy attitude toward proper oral health care.
Our mission is to help your family have bright, beautiful smiles as you embark on this wonderful new journey—one dental visit at a time.
Learn more about pregnancy and oral health from the experts at Yonge Eglinton Dental in Toronto
Make an appointment for an office visit today by calling our office at 416-932-2222 or booking online. We look forward to seeing you!
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