3 Things Pregnant Women Need To Know About Dental Care
Welcoming a child into the family can be exciting, but pregnancy can have a significant effect on the expectant mother's body. It's important to understand how pregnancy can affect your body so that you will be prepared to better address your oral health needs while expecting.
Here are three things that you as a pregnant woman need to know about dental care to keep your teeth and gums healthy:
1. Chewing gum can be beneficial.
Saliva production plays a key role in helping you preserve your oral health. When you suffer from dry mouth, the bacteria population in your mouth suffers as well. This could leave your enamel weakened and more prone to cavities and advanced decay.
Chewing gum can not only help you ward off dry mouth (and the dental problems that go along with it), but it could actually be a great way to improve the dental health of your unborn child. Studies show that chewing xylitol gum while pregnant can actually reduce the incidence of tooth decay in your unborn child's future by up to 70%.
2. Take measures to combat the effects of morning sickness.
Many women suffer from morning sickness throughout their pregnancy. Morning sickness can cause feelings of nausea, and it can result in frequent vomiting that could compromise your dental health.
Stomach acid can be extremely harmful to your teeth, causing erosion of the enamel and the formation of cavities. Be sure that you take the time to rinse your mouth out with an alcohol-free mouthwash after each episode of morning sickness to ensure stomach acid doesn't negatively affect your dental health.
3. Visit your dentist more frequently during pregnancy.
Because of the hormonal change that occurs within your body during pregnancy, it's important that you visit your dentist more frequently while you are with child than you normally would. Statistics show that 40% of expectant mothers will develop an oral problem known as pregnancy gingivitis at some point during pregnancy.
This condition is characterized by an inflammation of the gums and could result in discomfort while brushing or flossing and, in some cases, a permanent recession of the gum line. Visiting your dentist frequently will help you spot the signs of pregnancy gingivitis early in order to treat this condition effectively.
Identifying some of the unique dental needs that are associated with pregnancy will help you better care for your teeth and gums while expecting your next child. Contact a company like Milner Dentistry for more information and assistance.
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