If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, congratulations! Bringing a new life into the world is a beautiful thing. But pregnancy itself can have a lot of effects on your health, which is why it’s so important to get appropriate medical care throughout your pregnancy.
And your mouth is no exception. After you become pregnant, there are a lot of changes that may happen to your teeth and gums. In this blog from Skutak Dental, we’ll discuss a few of them. Let’s get started!
This may be alarming, but it’s actually nothing to worry about! Certain hormones released during pregnancy may loosen the ligaments that support your teeth, so they may wiggle slightly. However, this does not lead to tooth loss. Still, if you feel a concerning amount of movement in your teeth, you can always come to Skutak Dental to get checked out.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to high acid levels in the mouth. In addition, pregnancy cravings may cause you to eat more sugar, and you may pay less attention to your daily brushing and flossing routine.
This all leads up to a higher risk of cavities. Be diligent about brushing and flossing, and try to watch what you eat, or brush after eating lots of sugar.
If you have morning sickness, stomach acid from vomiting may also wear down your enamel and leave you more susceptible to cavities. Rinse and brush your mouth after vomiting to mitigate this issue.
This can happen at any time, but is particularly common during the third trimester. Increased levels of progesterone during pregnancy make your gums hyper-responsive to plaque (bacteria) on your gums.
This results in gum sensitivity, swelling, and discoloration, and your gums may bleed more easily when brushing. This happens in about 40% of women.
Don’t worry, though. If you maintain good oral hygiene, pregnancy gingivitis will go away once you deliver your baby and your hormone levels return to normal.
In some cases, lumps of tissue may form on your gums during your pregnancy. These are harmless, despite the scary term “tumor” used to describe them. They will usually go away after you give birth, but if they don’t, they can be treated and removed by a dentist like Dr. Skutak.
To keep your mouth healthy as you prepare for your new baby, follow a few common-sense rules! Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, limit your intake of sugary foods and drinks, and floss daily.
In addition, make sure to see a dentist for a preventive six month teeth cleaning and oral exam. Preventive dental care is completely safe for pregnant women, and is important for maintaining oral health during pregnancy.
And if you’re overdue for teeth cleaning in Rothschild, Wausau, or Schofield, Dr. Lisa M. Skutak is here to help! Skutak Dental is always accepting new patients, so contact us online or call now at (715) 355-4433 to get started today.
