Although you can maintain good dental health during pregnancy, the necessary bodily changes can adversely influence your teeth and gums. The following tips will help you to deal with the factors that can reduce dental health during pregnancy.
Treat your gums gently
Women often find that bleeding gums are a fact of life when it comes to dental health during pregnancy, so take care when brushing and flossing your teeth, and be aware that some hard foods may cause discomfort. If you find that your gums do bleed frequently, your dentist will have advice about improving dental health during pregnancy and can professionally clean you mouth to reduce the chances of infection.
Clean your mouth after morning sickness
Morning sickness promotes tooth decay due to the corrosive nature of stomach acid, so if you want to maintain your dental health during pregnancy then you should try to rinse your mouth with clean, cold water after you have vomited. This will make you less likely to develop cavities.
Be smart about treatment times
You should avoid elective dental procedures to improve dental health during pregnancy, since it is unclear whether things like whitening procedures have any negative impact on developing babies. If you are in urgent need of treatment for poor dental health during pregnancy, the second trimester tends to be the best time. At a later stage, lying in the dentist’s chair for a lengthy period may lead to discomfort and back pain.
Do not worry too much about tooth loss
The rumour that pregnant women lose one tooth per pregnancy may lead you to worry that it is impossible to maintain good dental health during pregnancy. However, no studies have supported this myth about tooth loss.
Boost your baby’s dental health
Good dental health during pregnancy will also include promoting the oral health of your unborn baby. In particular, abstaining from smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol reduces the likelihood of giving birth to an underweight baby with brittle tooth enamel and weakened teeth. Meanwhile, a high intake of calcium helps your baby to develop strong teeth and bones.