As an expectant mum, you’re probably more concerned about consuming certain foods and taking the required health supplements for your unborn baby. However, during pregnancy, taking care of your oral health is essential to your overall wellness. In fact, certain dental health issues like gum disease have been linked to pregnancy complications like premature birth.
Therefore, staying on top of your daily oral healthcare routine is crucial, as is attending regular dental checks. Of course, you should inform your dentist about your pregnancy and the stage you’re at. This way, they can advise you on taking proper care of your gums and teeth for a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Pregnancy and Its Effects on Your Dental Health
During pregnancy, certain behavioural and hormonal changes take place, and these can impact your dental health. By being aware of what’s happening as your pregnancy advances, you can take precautions to safeguard your overall health.
• Changes in eating habits: Unhealthy food cravings or eating more of certain foods and at all hours of the day can affect your dental health.
• Morning sickness: Pregnant women who experience morning (or any time of the day) sickness, feel nauseous and end up vomiting anytime, anywhere. Aside from making your mouth more acidic, these bouts of morning sickness can also lead you to neglect oral health habits, such as flossing and brushing your teeth.
• Hormonal changes: During pregnancy, your body produces higher amounts of certain hormones like progesterone and oestrogen, which, in turn, can increase your risk of developing dental problems, such as gum bleeding.
Symptoms of Dental Disease
Even if you’ve always enjoyed excellent oral health before pregnancy, this may change when you become pregnant. So, be on the lookout for the following symptoms of dental health deterioration:
• Gaps between the teeth that weren’t there before
• Swollen, painful, bleeding gums
• Bad breath or halitosis
• Tooth pain or persistent aches
• Shrinking gums or pus along the gumline
• Loose teeth
When you experience any of these symptoms, visit your dentist right away. This is especially crucial if you have an infection. By going to your dentist early on, you can receive early treatment and prevent possible pregnancy complications.
Dental check-ups during pregnancy could also mean your dentist detecting and treating dental problems early on, even if you don’t notice the above symptoms.
Visit Your Dentist in Donvale
Maintaining your dental health is crucial at all stages of life – and more so during pregnancy when you’re likely to develop problems with your gums and teeth.
At Holistic Dental Donvale, we can help you navigate your dental health during pregnancy successfully.
Of course, you can visit us for all your oral healthcare needs.
Set up an appointment with us today!
