During this exciting time, staying in good health is more important than ever. This doesn’t just mean maintaining a good diet—this includes keeping in good oral health as well! To keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy throughout your pregnancy, be sure to follow these four simple steps.
1. Maintain a thorough dental hygiene routine.
During your pregnancy, it is more important than ever to keep up a good dental hygiene routine. This includes brushing twice a day and after meals with an ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste. You should also make sure to floss regularly. These simple steps will help you to prevent pregnancy gingivitis, a common oral health issue that affects many pregnant women from their second month until they give birth. Pregnancy gingivitis is an infection of the gums that causes them to bleed and become inflamed. Unfortunately, this condition can be quite serious if left untreated as it can lead to gum disease— a condition that has been linked to complications in pregnancy.
2. If you suffer from morning sickness, rinse with water and baking soda.
If you suffer from morning sickness, your first inclination may be to brush your teeth right away to maintain your oral health. However, this could actually do more harm than good. Frequent vomiting releases acids onto your teeth, which can weaken your dental enamel. If you brush your teeth immediately, this can further scrape away at your enamel and help to facilitate the erosion process. To avoid this tooth decay, you should rinse immediately with a water and baking soda mixture. This will improve the pH balance in your mouth, neutralize the acids on your teeth, and allow your to brush without causing further damage.
3. Chew gum with xylitol.
When you’re pregnant, it is much more likely that your salivary glands will struggle to produce enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. This causes a condition commonly known as dry mouth. Dry mouth can make it difficult for you to speak and swallow, and it can cause a number of oral health issues as well. Without enough saliva, your mouth is less capable of washing away bacteria and food particles that lead to tooth decay and halitosis (bad breath). Therefore, in order to help facilitate your saliva production, we recommend that you chew sugar-free gum with xylitol, an ingredient that helps to kill harmful bacteria and fight tooth decay. Additionally, you should always try to drink plenty of water to keep your mouth in good condition.
4. Visit your dentist regularly.
In order to stay in good oral health and combat symptoms of pregnancy gingivitis, dry mouth, and tooth decay, we recommend that you pay a visit to your dentist. In addition to receiving a thorough professional teeth cleaning, your dentist will check your teeth and gums to ensure they’re in good health.
To keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your pregnancy, be sure to schedule an appointment at Manus Dental straight away. Call our Hyde Park, Lake Zurich, or Yorkville offices today to plan your visit!