Expecting a baby is the most exciting experience of women's life , pregnancy brings immense happiness and excitement however it comes along with wide range of challenges and surprises too.
I am Dr. Deepali Srivastava and being a dentist and a public health professional I would discuss few very common dental challenges which pregnant ladies face.
One of the most common dental issue is bleeding gums others may include tooth caries, pregnancy tumor or pyogenic granuloma, halitosis or bad breath,loose tooth etc. During pregnancy women undergoes greatest hormonal and physiological changes of their lives which may affect their mouth as well. Almost every part of our body is affected not leaving behind the dental issues. Some women may experience various dental problems and some may not experience any. One of the most common dental problems which a pregnant women may experience is pregnancy gingivitis or bleeding gums.
Around 60-75% of women experience bleeding gums. Bleeding gums usually appears in second and third trimester. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes that increases the risk of developing gingivitis. Signs of pregnancy gingivitis may vary from red swollen gums to severe swelling and mild bleeding from gums while brushing . As there is an increase in progesterone hormone so the plaque accumulation also increases and this might lead to bleeding gums or dental caries . Also due to increased hormone levels there is decreased salivation and this also adds to plaque accumulation .
Dietary changes during pregnancy like increased consumption of carbohydrates also leads to plaque accumulation which may lead to bleeding gums and dental caries. Maternal oral health is a significant public health issue due to its prevalence and life-course connection with adverse pregnancy birth outcomes or early child hood caries. It is important to maintain the oral hygiene as it is related to our over all health. Pregnancy gingivitis if left untreated might be an added risk factor to preterm baby or low birth weight baby. During pregnancy the probability of developing dental issues increases which may have impact on foetus as well so it's important to maintain regular oral hygiene through out your pregnancy.
Regular brushing of teeth twice daily, regular usage of dental floss ,mouth wash , gargles with Luke warm water with a pinch of salt in it will be helpful in preventing dental problems. If you are pregnant or plan to get pregnant visit your dentist for oral health check up. Schedule a dental check up for each trimester to keep your oral health check. Small dental procedures like scaling or tooth filling or tooth extraction can be done in the second trimester as it is the safest one if advised by your dentist.
The physiological changes in your body will remain there for few months but the beauty of motherhood will be there lifelong so ladies enjoy your pregnancy with a beautiful smile on your glowing face by visiting your dentist regularly.
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