How Can Pregnancy Affect My Oral Health?

Pregnancy is a wonderfully magical time, busy with doctor visits, hospital tours, and setting up your baby’s nursery. You’ll experience so many changes in your body, and your mouth is no exception. Proper dental hygiene practices and regular visits to Tracey Dental will ensure your smile stays healthy and free of disease. Dr. Long and his outstanding team look forward to supporting your oral health every step of the way!

Getting Your Smile Pregnancy Ready

Getting your smile pregnancy ready involves a visit to Tracey Dental for a dental exam and professional cleaning. We will evaluate your oral health and recommend any preventive or restorative treatment required to ensure your smile stays in tip-top shape.

We encourage you to maintain thorough oral hygiene practices and continue visiting us for your routine dental care during pregnancy. If any urgent problems develop, we will treat them promptly to restore your oral health. However, we prefer to postpone any elective procedures until after your delivery.

Pregnancy and Its Effect on Your Oral Health?

Here are some ways pregnancy can affect a future mom’s oral health:

Pregnancy Gingivitis: Hormonal changes during pregnancy often cause a condition known as pregnancy gingivitis, which typically develops during the first trimester. In most cases, it peaks around the eighth month of pregnancy and tapers off after the baby is born.

Morning Sickness: A concern for many expectant mothers who experience morning sickness is the repeated exposure of their teeth to stomach acids, which can lead to tooth enamel erosion, sensitivity, and decay. Make sure to avoid brushing your teeth right after vomiting because the acids in the mouth soften the tooth enamel and leave it vulnerable to erosion. Before brushing, rinse with water or a fluoride mouthwash to keep the acid levels in your mouth under control.

Pregnancy Eating Habits: Constant snacking, grazing, and craving sugary treats during pregnancy can wreak havoc on your oral health. Cavity-causing bacteria feast on the abundant food source and produce acids, which attack the tooth enamel and cause decay and cavities. So when you consume sugary or starchy snacks, make sure you rinse your mouth right away. Better yet, consider opting for healthy snacks, such as raw fruit, vegetables, nuts, or cheese.

Dry Mouth: Pregnancy often causes dry mouth, which increases the risk of tooth decay and oral infections. That’s because saliva helps flush away food debris and bacteria, so when its production decreases, your oral health is at risk. You can help combat pregnancy dry mouth by drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and chewing sugarless gum to stimulate saliva production.

Pregnancy Tumors: Some expectant moms develop raw-looking lumps with mulberry like-surfaces along the gum line and between their teeth. These harmless, non-cancerous growths, known as pregnancy tumors, usually resolve on their own after pregnancy.

Your Oral Health and Your Developing Baby

Keeping your mouth healthy can potentially impact your child’s oral health. If cavity-causing bacteria flourish during pregnancy, they can easily transmit from a mother’s mouth to the mouth of a newborn. Early contact with harmful oral bacteria can result in early childhood cavities and the need for extensive dental procedures at a very young age.

It is important to keep your gums healthy during pregnancy. Studies show that advanced gum disease, known as periodontitis, can result in premature birth and low birth weight. So if you develop gum disease before or during your pregnancy, we may recommend more frequent dental cleanings to manage the condition and prevent it from progressing.

Quality Pregnancy Dentistry in McKinney, TX

We, at Tracey Dental, would like to congratulate you on your future bundle of joy. We invite you to visit our office to learn more about maintaining a healthy smile during your pregnancy. You can always count on us for outstanding, gentle care. Call us and schedule your appointment today!