Dental care in pregnancy

During pregnancy, a woman's oral cavity should be kept in optimal conditions to avoid the presence of factors that may affect the health of the mother and baby during this stage. Let's see here the importance of your oral health during pregnancy.

Recent studies have shown that there is a relationship between gum disease/parodontal disease in the mother and problems in the fetus: miscarriage, premature delivery and low birth weight. This is one of the issues that occupy the team of professionals at Hoffmann Family Dentistry.

A hypothesis you should pay attention to

The bacteria responsible for periodontal disease produce a number of inflammatory mediators, which are the same mediators implicated in the adverse pregnancy outcomes just mentioned.

The most widely accepted hypothesis is that oral microorganisms and their toxic products can diffuse into the placenta, provoking or potentiating an inappropriate immune response or a maternal and/or fetal response that results in the adverse outcomes.

What happens in the mouth during pregnancy?

Hormonal and immune response changes occur during this period that can harm your oral health in pregnancy. The most common problems are:

Inflammation of the gum tissue.

Hormonal changes increase the proliferation and permeability of blood vessels in the gums: this favors redness and increased volume of the gums and predisposes to increased bleeding.

Bleeding gums often cause pregnant women to reduce tooth brushing, leading to increased bacterial plaque accumulation and further deterioration of the general condition.

Enamel erosion and tooth decay

Nausea and vomiting, are frequent in the first months, along with esophageal reflux, which appears more frequently in the last months of pregnancy.

These two conditions can lead to erosion of tooth enamel and, consequently, increase the risk of tooth decay and tooth sensitivity. To cope with these situations, here is what is recommended

Epulis gravidarum

Sometimes the gum swells so much that it forms an epulis gravidarum, a benign gum formation on the teeth.

These should be treated by surgical removal of the newly formed tissue, but above all they can and should be avoided by a program of prevention.

In fact, prevention and treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis should begin before pregnancy to give you the best chance of taking care of your oral health in pregnancy.

When can you take care of a pregnant woman in dentistry?

The best thing to do is to monitor your teeth every trimester. At Hoffmann Family Dentistry we provide this service.

First trimester

This is the most delicate phase for the formation of the fetus' organs. During this period, oral hygiene sessions can be performed and it is good to have a check-up at the dentist in order to identify risk situations, which can be scheduled for treatment in the second trimester.

Second trimester

This is the best and safest time for treatment: during this period only necessary treatments are carried out and less urgent ones are postponed, but it is good to intervene on teeth that may cause infections or abscesses.

Third trimester

We try to avoid treatment, this time more due to the fact that the pregnant woman is uncomfortable and lying on her back for a long time. In this period, oral hygiene is performed again, since now the gums suffer more from hormonal changes.

The administration of anesthesia during pregnancy

The local anesthetic is a drug that does not pose any problems during pregnancy. However, during breastfeeding, we advise you not to breastfeed your baby in the first hours after anesthesia.

This may be more bitter and not appreciated, so, you can take some milk with a breast pump before the dentist's session and use it when you get home after the treatment.

Nutrition and oral hygiene during pregnancy

• Do not stay too long on an empty stomach.
• Eat small amounts of food to eliminate acidity.
• If you vomit, rinse your teeth immediately afterwards with water and a teaspoon of baking soda.
• Use a soft toothbrush and a non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste.

At Hoffmann Family Dentistry you can get your teeth checked as early as the first trimester of pregnancy, which is a very responsible thing to do for you and your baby.