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Dental care during pregnancy

By The Dentist
          Pregnancy is a life-altering event in every woman's life. Be prepared for it in every best way possible. Believe it or not, even your teeth also take the impact of your pregnancy hormones. It is important to take meticulous care for your oral cavity.
Know what exactly happens in your mouth and how to save yourself from the trouble!

An important thing to know,                       
                                      
       So, the wisest thing to do will be getting treated all your dental problems if you are planning to conceive. Visit your dentist even before you visit your OG.

 Why is it so important?
  • The stress of undergoing any dental treatment can affect your child.
  • As you all know only limited drugs are deemed safer during pregnancy.
  • Also studies have shown correlation between unattended gum infections and pre-term/ low weight births.

 So what really happens?
    During pregnancy, there is an increase in progesterone and estrogen which can go up to 10-30 folds by the end of 3rd trimester.
   These hormones added with reduced maternal immunity and reduced folate, put your body in a vulnerable position. Your body responds to any external stimuli (say dental plaque) in a more accentuated way.

COMMON ORAL PROBLEMS:
  • PREGNANCY GINGIVITIS- Around 30-100% of all pregnant women have pregnancy gingivitis. It is not usually painful, unless there is any painful ulceration. This can cause bleeding from gums.
It resolves on its own after parturition. Having a proper oral hygiene can help reduce the swelling.
  • EROSION OF TEETH- Due to excess vomiting, your teeth get exposed to more stomach acids. This can cause erosion of the outermost layer of your teeth.
  • DECAY- Those sugar cravings and change in flow and consistency of saliva may take a toll on your teeth causing dental decay and aggravates previous decays
  • DISCOLORATION OF TEETH- Iron supplements that you take during pregnancy can sometimes cause color change in your teeth but it is reversible.

THE PANACEA!
    Stick to your oral care routine religiously. Healthy oral habits include,
  • Brushing twice daily (morning & night)
  • Flossing at least once a day
  • Having a healthy diet
  • Gargling after eating snack/ meal
  • Checking your sugar intake and drinking more water
      To know more about brushing technique check our previous post.

    




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