Professional dental care is important throughout life, especially during pregnancy. Taking care of your oral health can help protect you and your child.
Certain dental problems, especially advanced gum disease in Ajax, have been linked to premature birth and low birthweight babies.
Book a Checkup If You Are Planning a Pregnancy
In an ideal world, it’s best to get a dental checkup before you become pregnant, just like you may see your GP before planning a baby. Our dentist can detect and treat dental problems, ensuring you enjoy optimal oral health.
What to Do If You Are Already Pregnant
If you are already pregnant, still make an appointment to see us. Pregnancy can affect your dental health, and it’s important to have regular dental checkups and hygiene appointments during this time.
Please let us know you are pregnant so we can tailor your treatment accordingly. There is no need to worry, as we will make sure any recommended treatments are entirely safe for you both.
Many routine dental treatments will not harm your baby. For example, general dentistry treatments in Whitby, like fillings and crowns, are perfectly safe during pregnancy.
It can be more harmful to leave a problem untreated. We can provide a custom treatment plan to follow during pregnancy.
Below are some of the ways pregnancy can affect your dental health.
Pregnancy and Gum Health
During pregnancy, your gums become more sensitive to bacteria in dental plaque. You may notice they become more swollen, red, and tender, and they may start to bleed slightly. This is a condition called pregnancy gingivitis.
It is like gingivitis, mild gum disease, but it does require monitoring. We may suggest you have more regular dental hygiene appointments in Oshawa. Removing plaque and tartar that contains these bacteria can help you maintain stronger and healthier gums.
Morning Sickness
If you are sick during pregnancy, rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards or with a mixture of baking soda and water. This helps to neutralize stomach acids coating your teeth and to begin normalizing acidity levels more quickly.
Wait thirty minutes before brushing your teeth. After exposure to these acids, your tooth enamel is slightly softer, and brushing your teeth now can erode it more easily.
As your mouth becomes less acidic, your tooth enamel re-hardens.
Nausea
It is not unusual for certain foods or substances to make you feel nauseous during pregnancy. Sometimes, this can include toothpaste. It could be worth switching to a blander-tasting toothpaste to see if this helps.
Keep a Dental Kit with You to Freshen Up
If you are prone to morning sickness, keeping a small dental kit with you to freshen up afterwards can be nice. Include a soft-bristle toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, and a small bottle of water. You might also want to include a travel-sized bottle of mouth rinse but pick an alcohol-free brand. The alcohol in the mouthwash can dry up your mouth.
We Are a Family Dental Practice
Remember that Margolian Dentistry is a family-oriented dental practice and welcomes children. Our friendly dental team goes out of their way to help them feel relaxed and comfortable. We highly recommend booking your child’s first dental visit after they get their first few teeth, ideally when they are aged 1 to 2.
Seeing a child from an early age allows them to become more comfortable in a brand-new environment. We can help build positive experiences with them, so they grow up viewing regular dental care as perfectly normal and nothing to fear.
As your child gets older, we can help them build healthy oral care habits, including using the right brushing and flossing techniques.
