Caring for Your Mouth While Pregnant

Understandably, pregnant mothers frequently go to great lengths to protect their unborn child. Of course, if you are a pregnant you probably understand how important it is to take care of your overall health. But did you know that it’s also very important to protect your oral health?
For example, gum disease can cause very serious problems for pregnant women. Typically, this is because of a change in hormones levels during pregnancy. Particularly, the hormone progesterone is elevated in pregnant women, which causes can lead to our gums becoming inflamed. This makes gingivitis (which is technically inflamed gums) extremely common in pregnant women.
Sadly, gum diseases like gingivitis can lead to a new variety of problems. If your gums are infected—which is a major component of gum disease—the infection can get into your bloodstream and spread throughout your body. If this happens, women with periodontal disease are more likely to have high blood pressure and preterm delivery.
Fortunately, your dentist can treat gum disease safely even while you’re pregnant. Still, preventing gum disease is always preferable to treating it. To prevent gum disease, please remember to brush your teeth properly and to floss daily. Similarly, please don’t neglect routine clearings while you’re pregnant. They are perfectly safe—in fact, your dentist may recommend cleanings more regularly than they normally would
Finally, please don’t hesitate to contact your dentist if something seems wrong with your smile. While you may have heard that it’s dangerous to have work done while you are pregnant, your dentist will be able to tell you accurately. Granted, your dentist most likely try to wait until you are past your first trimester, though this is not always the case—especially if you suffer from a dental emergency.
If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to contact us soon. We’re excited to hear from you.