During pregnancy, women go through a lot of hormonal changes, which tend to affect oral health leading to more risk of developing gum problems. Here, in this article, we are going to discuss with you some of the oral health tips that will keep your teeth and gums healthy during pregnancy. So, without wasting any more time, let’s get to it. Shall we?
Oral health tips during pregnancy
Always follow the basics of oral hygiene – floss daily, brush daily, drink fluoridated water wherever possible, and use a soft toothbrush. These are the tips that most of you might already know and most of you might be following. For pregnant women, we suggest you schedule an appointment with your dentist in your first trimester to get your teeth cleaners and general checkups.
Here are something that goes beyond the basic oral hygiene routine we shared above for pregnant women.
i) Oral health & morning sickness
Morning sickness is a natural phenomenon that every woman suffers through during pregnancy. Morning sickness can expose your teeth to stomach acid, which can weaken your teeth. How to protect your teeth from this?
Rinse your mouth with water or if possible, go for fluoride mouthwash right after vomiting.
Don’t brush your teeth immediately after vomiting. Wait for at least 30 minutes.
ii) Diet & oral health
It’s not just oral health but your overall health would also depend on healthy eating habits. In this scenario, when you are pregnant, your diet choices will also affect your baby’s health. It is always advisable to limit the sugar intake during pregnancy and otherwise to maintain oral health. Also, make sure that your diet includes – protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and phosphorous. Most doctors recommend adding a daily dose of multivitamins to their diet during pregnancy.
iii) Substance use & oral health
There are many substances that you need to avoid, especially during pregnancy. Some of these are – avoiding smoking or using tobacco, avoiding drinking alcohol, do not use any recreational drugs, and any of these harmful substances.
All about pregnancy gingivitis
Most women during pregnancy third and ninth months might experience the issue of pregnancy gingivitis. Some common symptoms of pregnancy gingivitis are – swollen gums, redness, irritation in gums, etc. This occurs because estrogen and progesterone hormones are increased during pregnancy, which tends to make your gums more sensitive. To avoid such problems, brush your teeth regularly and go for regular checkups with your dentist. Be cautious as sometimes, if neglected, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis.
Pregnancy comes with many changes for a woman, especially health-wise. To ensure that everything is fine and healthy in terms of your oral health, you must go for regular checkups with your dentist, especially once after a trimester. This way, you can be sure that there is no serious problem and if everything is okay or not.