Perinatal Oral Health Care

So you’re one of those, huh? You’ve probably been devouring anything you can find that has the words ‘parent’ ‘child’ or ‘care’ in the title. In that case, what you’ve stumbled upon here is just the right thing for you.

The first thing we (dentists) notice about a person is their teeth. But that’s not too far from what an average person notices about people too. Teeth make a fundamental part of the esthetics of any person’s face. And taking care of your coming baby’s smile is something you need to start caring for early. Way early. Like as early as before they’re even born.

Pre-natal Oral Health Care

The first step would be to visit your local dentist soon. The hormones that are causing you the craving for a strawberry cheesecake at 12 am could also be wreaking havoc in parts of your mouth that you may or may not already be noticing. Bleeding gums? That could be a very easily manageable side effect of the little bundle of joy you’re carrying. So could cavities, and having a heart to heart with your dentist will help you not only manage your own oral health, but to give you tips and tricks for the oral health of your coming little one. Here are some things you can start doing by yourself until that appointment comes through:

  • Ensure that you’re not slacking on your brushing and flossing.
  • Does your toothpaste have fluoride? Because it should.
  • Exchange your watermelon flavored chewing gum for sugar-free gum
  • Eat small amounts of nutritious food throughout the day to prevent cravings we both know you’re better off without.

What is pregnancy doing to my mouth?

For many soon-to-be-moms, between all the hospital visits and whining about how nothing fits you, you might not notice some differences inside your mouth. Sure, it tastes bad because of the morning sickness, but there could be more. If you’re lucky, you may get away with no side effects of your pregnancy on your mouth at all, but some might face these problems:

Pregnancy Gingivitis

This is an inflammation in your mouth, which could cause bleeding gums when you brush and floss. If left untreated, it could progress to severe disease, but is easy enough to manage. Scaling and polishing to do the job for you perfectly.

Tooth Decay

The instances of cavities in the teeth of pregnant women are high, for a number of reasons. Perhaps it’s the above mentioned cravings. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3346733/)

So making sure your brushing and flossing is great is important.

Pyogenic Granuloma

I just used that word to sound really fancy. That’s just a name for a raspberry-lookalike swelling that appears in some women’s gums during the second trimester. Normally absolves after the baby, but you can talk to your dentist about it if it concerns you.

I went through all of that to explain that a regular visit to your dentist is necessary, try to fit it in with the doctor’s visit and whatever else it is that keeps pregnant women busy.

Medication

No medication you’re taking is too embarrassing for you to mention to your dentist. Tell them about whatever you’re taking, and any special advice your doctor’s given you.

Local Anesthetics

They’re safe. As long as you’ve informed the dentist that you’re pregnant, they’ll take care of the dosage.

X-Rays

Also safe. I’m not just saying this, the ADA and ACOG have said it. As long as your dental team knows of your pregnancy, they will make you gear up in lead aprons and collars so you and your baby are even more safe than safe.

It’s a good idea to finish with your dentist by the third trimester, because lying flat on your back will not be the most fun at that time.

After The Arrival

If you’ve had any gum problems during the pregnancy, make sure you take a visit to the dentist after the baby to evaluate and improve your periodontal health.

Here was all what’s important for you. Now when the baby’s here, between all the crying (both you and the baby) and the sleepless nights, try to schedule a visit to the dentist with your little one too. Perhaps you could time it with the immunizations, that way you’ll have to try to look presentable on fewer days.