Congratulations, you are having a baby! How can you ensure
you keep a healthy mouth during your pregnancy and give your child the best
start in life?
As you may have noticed, your body is going through a lot of
changes. The progesterone and estrogen levels can make your gums very tender
and swollen and more likely to bleed. Also you may be suffering from morning
sickness and not feel like brushing your teeth. As gum disease can progress
much more rapidly while you are pregnant, it is important to be even more
vigilant in oral care while you are pregnant.
Dentistry
It is safe to have dental treatment done while you are pregnant. We
however try and avoid any treatment during the First and Third trimesters. The
Second trimester is the safest time for any dental treatment to be administered. We
will also try and avoid Xrays during the entire duration of your pregnancy.
Most of our pregnant ladies come in 1-2 times during their pregnancy
for cleaning (scaling) to prevent any gum disease.
Snacking
Often your diet changes when you are pregnant, you may crave sugary snacks and eat more often. Try and rinse your mouth after snacking.
Old Wives tales
- Drinking milk will harden your babies teeth: There is however, no evidence to say the calcium from the milk makes any difference to your baby’s teeth.
- You will lose one tooth while you are pregnant: With good oral care you will not lose any teeth.
If you are not pregnant yet but are trying to conceive, it is important to get your mouth checked and take Xays while we can. There has been research done by the American Academy of Periodontology connecting low birth weight in infants with gum disease so we would like your mouth to be in perfect condition BEFORE you get pregnant.
If
you’d like more information or want to consult us, contact our Practice to
schedule an appointment over the phone on 011 41554777 or online on www.NANDADENTAL.com
