Dental health care knows no boundaries, not even pregnancy, especially when you are looking for treatment for gum disease. In fact, pregnant women would have to keep their gums and teeth clean all the time. This is because their oral condition can affect the well-being of the unborn children in their wombs. Specialists even connect low birth weight and preterm delivery of babies.
If you are pregnant, the insights in this article will be very helpful to you and so read on. The very first thing women should do is to inform their dentists their condition – the months they are pregnant or whether they are trying to get pregnant. Early symptoms of dental problems that may cause grave infections would be identified this way. They must be open to take only the appropriate procedures advised.
Challenges on pregnant women’s dental health care and dental teeth whitening usually start from the presence of plaque. The latter is a film of bacteria which can wound the gums and seep deep into the gums and into the bloodstreams. Take note whatever infection present in the bloodstream can reach the fetus any time. The good news about this is that it can be prevented through a thorough periodontal exam that which may be done months or years before your planned pregnancy.
Although this sounds horrible, this can still be avoided through certain dental practices done at home. Consistent observance of them helps every mother to combat even the illnesses to which they may lose their gums and teeth because of the hormonal changes in the body. These illnesses could be enamel erosion and pregnancy gingivitis. In these cases, seeing the dentist while pregnant is recommended. Deep cleanings may be carefully done on the mother so as to avoid the infection from reaching the baby.
Some specialists suggest that cavity fillings and installation of crowns may be done to reduce possibilities of further infection from gingivitis or enamel erosion. In fact, root canal may also be administered so long as there local anaesthesia is used. Dental x-rays are the procedures to be avoided since its harmful rays are believed to harm the fetus. If ever emergencies require them, abdominal shields may be used. As for the medicines associated with these treatments, they should only be taken under prescription by the dentist. Do not risk the health of your unborn child by buying over-the-counter pain relievers. Cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening and implant installation must be postponed until your baby is born. The same goes for treatments with which application of electricity will be used.
Nothing beats the advantages of dental health care that is religiously observed even before a woman gets pregnant. This need not include complicated procedures. Simple brushing and flossing can do the trick. However, visits with the dentist must not be forgotten. If cleanings are needed, they must right away. Lastly, certain foods must be avoided and certain foods must be eaten. Sweets increase cavity deposits while milk, cheese and other dairy products provide calcium for the gums and teeth.