Are you expectant mother? Congratulations!
You’re excited and curious of What to Expect When You’re Expecting.
First, an old good advise – “Don’t stress too much! Your baby feels your stress.”.
And not only your stress…. While pregnant, it’s important to take care of your health more than ever.
You can start by:
- Seeing your OB/GYN Doctor or midwife regularly
- Getting important prenatal tests
- Eating well and staying active
- Not smoking or drinking
- Preventing infections
- Seeing your dentist
Taking care of your mouth while you are pregnant is important for you and your baby.
If you’re just planning to get pregnant, then you should see your dentist NOW and get teeth professionally cleaned, gum tissue carefully examined, and any oral health problems identified treated in advance of your pregnancy.
Untreated dental disease can lead to pain, infections and unnecessary exposure to medications, any of which could harm the developing fetus. Poor oral health also can affect the nutritional intake of expectant mothers, which is essential for fetal growth and survival.
If you’re pregnant:
- Inform your dentist (doctor). It will greatly help to plan for your treatment and procedures.
- It is always wise to notify your dentist of any medications you’re taking and their dosage, especially when you’re pregnant. Your dental treatment plan may be altered based on this information.
- Avoid radiography exam (X-Ray) during pregnancy. However, if X-rays are essential, then your dentist will use extreme caution to protect you and your baby. While radiation from dental X-rays is extremely low, advances in dental technology have made them even safer. Digital X-Rays reduces exposure to radiation by almost 90%
- Don’t skip your dental checkup appointment. Regular periodontal examinations are very important during pregnancy. Hormonal changes during pregnancy, put you at increased risk for periodontal disease and for tender gums that bleed easily – a condition called pregnancy gingivitis
What pregnant women should do to improve their oral health
- Floss and brush your teeth regularly at least twice a day and don’t forget your tongue while you’re at it.
- If you cannot brush your teeth because you feel sick, rinse your mouth with water or a mouth rinse that has fluoride.
- If you vomit, rinse your mouth with water.
- Limit foods containing sugar to mealtimes only.
- Choose water or low-fat milk as a beverage. Avoid carbonated beverages during pregnancy.
- Choose fruit rather than fruit juice to meet the recommended daily fruit intake for you and your child.
- Obtain necessary dental treatment before delivery.
* American Dental Association recently published a study from research team, led by Dr. Bryan Michalowicz of the University of Minnesota that Pregnant women can safely undergo essential dental treatment and receive topical and local anesthetics at 13 to 21 weeks gestation, according to a study published in the June issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association. Researchers randomly assigned 823 pregnant women with periodontitis to receive scaling and root planing, either at 13 to 21 weeks’ gestation or up to three months after delivery. Throughout the trial, obstetric nurses reviewed medical records to monitor subjects for serious adverse events.
