🦷Pregnancy Teeth: How Pregnancy Affects Your Oral Health

Pregnancy is one of the most ecstatic moments of a woman’s life — but at the same time, it introduces a lot of unexpected alterations in the body. Some of these alterations come unnoticed and one of them is in your mouth. That’s true: your teeth and gums also get affected by pregnancy. One of the side effects of being pregnant is an increase in gum bleeding in your pregnancy teeth.

Cavities also become more prevalent and sometimes even loose pregnancy teeth are a natural outcome of a pregnancy. At Lema Dental Clinic, we witness many soon-to-be mothers who didn’t realize the depth of the relationship between pregnancy and teeth. Now, we will discuss why your mouth changes during pregnancy, what the reasons are, and how you can keep your smile bright all nine months.

How Pregnancy Affects Your Teeth?

Your hormone levels shift drastically when you are pregnant — especially, progesterone and estrogen. These hormonal changes are felt throughout the whole body, including your gums and the pregnancy teeth’s supporting bones. Your gum tissues will be easily irritated, oversensitive, and may also show signs of inflammation. The emergence of such a condition, labeled as pregnancy gingivitis, which is not something strange to many women, particularly in the second trimester.

Another cause of dental problems during pregnancy is due to the fact that the immune system becomes weaker to fulfill the growing child’s needs, as a result, your body is less effective in fighting the bacteria including the ones that cause periodontal diseases and cavities. Systematic diseases will be your first so that if you had a slight gum issue before pregnancy, it would likely worsen if not taken care of properly.

Common Dental Issues During Pregnancy

One of the visible changes that take place in women’s bodies when they are pregnant is an increase in gum sensitivity while having pregnancy teeth. Some of the signs of this may be shown by the gums such as more bleeding when brushing or flossing. This is not just unpleasant, but it is also the first sign of gingivitis which might develop into periodontitis if not taken care of, a situation that can even cause tooth loss.

Furthermore, the majority of expectant mothers experience morning sickness, a condition that exposes the pregnancy teeth to stomach acid. During repeated vomiting the enamel is eroded and the risk of getting cavities is increased. Some can have the problem of dry mouth because of the hormone changes that can also cause tooth decay. On the other hand, mostly the craving for some sweet snacks which lead to sugar consumption can make the situation worse, in particular, when the oral health regimen is not followed.

Oftentimes, women that are expecting may also suffer from the sensation that their teeth are not as secure as they should be. The situation is due to the fact that pregnancy hormones have the power to alter the ligaments and bones that are in charge of keeping the pregnancy teeth in place. Mostly, this condition is temporary and does not indicate tooth loss, but it is advisable to ask for your dentist’s expert opinion.

Is It Safe to Go to the Dentist While Pregnant?

Dental check-ups and cleanings are absolutely safe for pregnant women, and they are even highly recommended. The second trimester is for most women the easiest time to have routine dental treatments, as it is the time when both the mother and the baby are most comfortable.

When dental work is urgently needed, for example, when a filling is needed or an infection treatment, taking it makes more sense than leaving it untreated and risk complications. Essentially, adhering to certain precautions makes modern dental procedures perfectly safe for soon-to-be-mothers.

When making an appointment with your dentist, always remember to inform him/her about your condition to avoid the occurrence of certain X-rays, drugs, or procedures unless they are of utmost necessity.

How You Could Keep Your Teeth Safe During Pregnancy?

Essentially, safeguarding your pregnancy teeth and gum won’t be a problem for you at any stage of your pregnancy if you are not making drastic changes and only giving additional care. Brushing two times daily using a fluoride toothpaste, flossing every day, and also using a mouthwash with antibacterial properties will keep you abreast of any kind of dental problems that pop up, be they small or big and help your pregnancy teeth.

In cases where you’re down with morning sickness, you can help yourself easily if you wash your mouth with water or baking soda solution. Before doing so, remember that you need to brush your pregnancy teeth first in such a situation to get the acid neutralized and cleaned up.

Drinking enough liquids and chewing a piece of sugar-free gum can be the simplest methods to alleviate your dry mouth. Also, do monitor your sugar intake, especially when you are having sweet cravings more frequently than usual.

Lema Dental Clinic has been a caring and patient-friendly dental home through all the years also the time when you need special dental cleanings during your pregnancy and the right advice as per your pregnancy symptoms and stages.

What Sign Can Prompt You to Visit a Dentist in Pregnancy?

It’s best to only have one dental visit during pregnancy, most preferably in the 2nd trimester. However, if you notice, be it even slight, the symptoms of pregnancy teeth bleeding gums, swelling, breath loss, persistent toothache, or pregnancy teeth becoming loose, don’t think whether to go or not go for the treatment… Go! If treatment can start earlier than later then any trouble would not be grave at all.

If you have oral infections, there is a possibility of the bad condition affecting the baby’s health. Some scientific studies have made a connection between severe gum disease and premature or low birth weight, which means that the care of the pregnancy teeth is not only for you but for the baby also, you two should go together.

All Your Queries Attend To Them With The Following Details

Pregnancy, meticulously being nature’s wonderful way of bringing forth the new generation, is no less than an amazing journey, but surely, it comes packed with a host of the unexpected — even the ones affecting your oral health. Gingival tenderness, enamel abrasion, dry mouth, and even shaky pregnancy teeth are sure to be common problems but nonetheless just a part of the large set of symptoms caused by hormonal fluctuations. These symptoms can, however, be kept under control with the right kind of care and regular scheduling of dental checkups.

At Kazlıçeşme area’s Lema Dental Clinic, our task is to make your dental health during the pregnancy both an easy and an exceptional period by giving you the best possible care. Also, a smile is a part of a woman’s pregnancy health – and to tell you the truth, we are pleased to share your happiness.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy and Teeth