It is always important to look out for your teeth and attend your regular check ups with your dentist. For people who are considering becoming pregnant, this importance rises. Your body goes through so many changes that affect your body during pregnancy and understanding how those changes affect your dental health will ensure that you’re maintaining your dental hygiene.
Thinking about becoming pregnant? Visit the dentist first!
While you are getting your medical checks done, adding a dental check up should be a stop along the way. This is so both you and your dentist can get an understanding of the level your dental health sits, and that can be monitored during your pregnancy. After this initial appointment, any treatment should be completed. As x-rays aren’t recommended during pregnancy, updating your dental x-rays is also a good idea.
Nutrition and Cravings
It’s common knowledge that pregnancy can affect your appetite. With an increased number of foods that you normally don’t eat a lot of, if you aren’t maintaining your oral hygiene, it can cause a negative affect on your teeth. Try limiting sugary and sweet foods to one sitting that coincides with mealtimes rather than snacking throughout the day.
Increasing your calcium and vitamin D intake can also help strengthen your teeth and gums during pregnancy as the vitamin D assists the body in utilise the calcium found in foods.
Why should you visit the dentist even during your pregnancy?
Research has found a link between gum diseases in pregnant woman and premature birth’s with low birth weight. Futhermore, gingvities (a milder form of gum disease) is one of the most common dental conditions among pregnant woman. With symptoms like redness, swelling and bleeding gums due to the rise in hormone levels. All of which can lead to a sever periodontal disease if left untreated. Frequent dental check ups and cleanings will help keep your teeth clean, plaque free and reveal indications of all the above problems.
Morning Sickness and Reflux
While each person experiences morning sickness differently, the affects of the stomach acid on the teeth is the same. To protect your teeth from suffering wear from stomach acid, here are a few tips to help you.
- Wait 60mins before brushing your teeth: this ensures that you aren’t brushing through the enamel that has been made soft by stomach acid.
- Drink tap water: The added benefits of fluoride in Australian tap water can help strengthen your teeth to combat the acid. For extra fluoride, a fluoride mouthwash could also benefit you.
- Eating non-sweetened dairy such as cheese and plain milk to neutralise the acid
- Sugar-free chewing gum can also assist ridding the mouth of acid by increasing the saliva production
At Koo Wee Rup Dental Surgery, we are always here to help our wonderful patients through their milestones in their lives. We love being able to help by keeping your teeth and gums healthy during your pregnancy.