Pregnancy can have a significant impact upon your oral health, though it is easily managed by you and your dentist.
Oral Changes During Pregnancy
From around two months in, you will begin to notice changes in your mouth due to the hormonal changes within your body including:
- Gums bleeding more easily – pregnancy gingivitis
- Red lumpy lesions along your gum lines – pregnancy tumours
- Reduced saliva, leading to an increase in cavities
- Pale to deep red gums that bleed easily – Gingivostomatitis
Cravings for sugary food is also common and which can lead to an increase in cavities, making fruit over sweets the best choice for snacks.
Morning sickness increases the amount of acid in your mouth, which in turn also attacks your teeth. Rather than brushing after vomiting which can remove the protective enamel of your teeth, rinsing your mouth with baking soda and water is a better option.
Regular visits to your dentist both before and during pregnancy are recommended. Let your dentist know if you are or there is the possibility of being pregnant so they can avoid certain procedures such as x-rays and some medicines.
Herald Avenue Dental Centre
If you are pregnant and have any of the symptoms above, please call us on 9259 5774 or book online. Also, we currently have a SPECIAL OFFER available until 7 August 2016.
For more information about women and oral health, please view this PDF.
You may also be interested in oral health for women during puberty, menstruation and menopause.