Oral Health During Pregnancy

Congratulations on your new path to maternity. Motherhood is unique – it’s characterized by beautiful experiences in which you get to know and explore yourself more in both psychological and physical ways than before, as well as experiencing physiological changes which are not to be ignored.

In order for you to live through your pregnancy in the healthiest ways possible, preventive medicine and routine check-ups are a must, including those that involve checking up on your dental and oral health.

Oral health & preventive dentistry are primordial during this phase, as women that are going through pregnancy can be more susceptible to presenting cavities or showing signs of gum disease.

In this article, we’ll show you how to take care of your oral health during pregnancy, what to do to prevent serious oral disease, the most common types of issues related to oral health, etc.

Taking care during pregnancy

Identifying oral health issues

During pregnancy, you should be on the lookout for any of the following signs:

·         Your gums show signs of swelling or bleeding;

·         Your teeth ache while eating or chewing food, or just hurt spontaneously;

·         Your teeth feel more sensible, show black or brown stains, or bad breath.

The reasons for these problems appearing are various but, during pregnancy, increased hormone levels, decreasing the frequency in which you brush your teeth, and a change in eating habits attributed to cravings are the most common amongst women that are expecting.

Some of the most common oral health complications that can take place during pregnancy are:

·         Gingivitis, which can cause redness, swelling, tenderness, and bleeding in the gums;

·         Gum disease, which can happen if gingivitis is left untreated. This disease can affect the bone that supports the teeth, lead to severe infections, etcetera;

·         Tooth erosion, which usually happens due to the constant exposure of your teeth to stomach acid when vomiting, Tooth erosion weakens your teeth, cracks them, or makes them painfully sensitive to anything you drink or eat.

Tooth decay is often associated with pregnancy due to the aforementioned causes and is characterized by being severely painful. If tooth decay is not treated by a professional on time, it can lead to total tooth loss or extraction, which would require an implant or an intervention done by a dentist to stop bone loss from happening.

How to take care of your teeth

We cannot stress going to the dentist for check-ups every few months or so enough. This is the key factor to maintaining both a healthy mouth and set of teeth during pregnancy. However, there are some measures that you can take at home to prevent any issues from appearing at all.

If you find yourself gagging when brushing your teeth due to nausea, using a smaller toothbrush can help. Brush your teeth at least twice a day to keep your gums and teeth in the best shape possible for you.

Some other measures to take include drinking plenty of water, eating healthy foods even when feeling cravings and avoiding foods high in sugar, rinsing your mouth after vomiting to prevent stomach acid from damaging your teeth, practicing flossing, and visiting your dentist in a regular basis.

Some foods that you can eat during pregnancy include:

·         Fruits that are rich in Vitamin C,

·         Whole grains,

·         Vegetables such as broccoli,

·         Meat and fish.

Keep in mind that it is also vital for you to ask your doctor about the type of foods that are best for you to eat during your pregnancy period – that way you’ll have a clear plan and vision on what to consume and which foods to keep away from.

Getting treated

Where can I take care of my oral health?

Every year, thousands of people opt to take medical tourism in Mexico as an option because of the high-quality work you can get at low prices when compared to the prices in other countries.

Sani Dental Group is the right option when it comes to getting dental treatments in Los Algodones and in all of Mexico. Often considered as the best Los Algodones dentist team conformed by the best dentists in Mexico. We also have two other locations – an additional platinum clinic in Los Algodones and a clinic in Playa del Carmen, with a 4th clinic opening up soon in Cancun.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with the best dental group in Mexico, call us at (928) 257-1307 or click here.

Let us help you smile again.