The Dos and Donts of Dental Care for Pregnant Women

December 03, 2018, Dentistry

Dental issues are among the most common problems that occur in pregnant women. Practically every pregnant woman faces them, more or less. Why is the oral health of pregnant women so vulnerable? Here are the crucial aspects of dental care during pregnancy.
1. A pregnant woman must visit her dentist at each trimester of her pregnancy. It is much more than usually required. A weak immunity of the future mom affects all of her health spheres including oral health. The risk of bone tissue destruction increases, and the process of salivation changes – it gets thicker, produces slower, and its pH-balance gets more acidic.

Calcium and magnesium play a crucial role in the saliva’s mineralization. A lack of these, typical during the pregnancy period, affects its functions in the most negative way. It becomes unable to wash the teeth, remove food remnants and provide necessary mineral support for teeth. This increases the risks of tooth decay and periodontal disease, so proper hygiene and professional cleaning are a must.

2. The first and the last trimesters are especially risky. Dental treatment in the first trimester brings the risk of developmental disorders, in the last trimester – the risk of an unwanted uterine activity. The second trimester is the best time for dental treatments. During the first one and last one, it is better to avoid it and only perform dental hygienic procedures.

3. Anesthesia for pregnant women must be local and should not contain lots of adrenalin. If there is a need for surgical intervention, it must be performed only in emergency cases. These are injuries and purulent inflammation. All other cases can wait until after labor.

4. An X-ray exam isn’t recommended during pregnancy. Only if there is a serious threat to a patient’s health, it can be performed but better in the second half of the pregnancy. Tomography and visiography are also not recommended. Fortunately, nowadays there is equipment that allows not only to examine a mouth safely for the fetus but also perform minimally invasive treatments.

Remember that regular visits to the dentist during pregnancy are of almost the same importance as visits to the gynecologist. Preserve the health of your teeth, especially in the situation when the choice of the treatment methods is restricted.
 

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