Learning you’re pregnant can change your life in a heartbeat—or now two. Suddenly, what was important to you just seconds before the news takes a back seat to the reality of a new life growing within you.
But although many of your priorities will change, there’s one in particular that shouldn’t—taking care of your dental health. In fact, because of the hormonal changes that will begin to occur in your body, your risk of dental disease may increase during pregnancy.
Because of these hormonal variations, you may find you have increased cravings for certain foods. If that includes eating more carbohydrates (especially sugar), bacteria can begin to multiply in your mouth and make you more susceptible to tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease.
The hormones in themselves can also increase your risk of gum disease in particular. There’s even a name for a very common form of gum infection—pregnancy gingivitis—which affects around two-fifths of pregnant women. If not treated, it could aggressively spread deeper within the gums and endanger both your teeth and supporting jaw bone.
The key to minimizing both tooth decay and gum disease is to keep your mouth clean of dental plaque, a thin bacterial biofilm most responsible for these diseases. You can do this by keeping up daily brushing and flossing and maintaining regular dental cleanings and checkups. Professional dental care is especially important during pregnancy.
You may, though, have some reservations about some aspects of dental care, especially if they involve undergoing local anesthesia. But many medical organizations including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association recommend dental treatment during pregnancy. Even procedures involving local anesthesia won’t increase the risk of harm to you or your baby.
That said, though, elective dental work such as cosmetic enhancements, might be better postponed until after the baby is born. It’s best to discuss with your dentist which treatments are essential and should be performed without delay, and which are not. In general, though, there’s nothing to fear for you or your baby continuing your regular dental care—in fact, it’s more important than ever.
If you would like more information on dental care during pregnancy, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Care During Pregnancy.”
