Due to the sudden changes in the hormonal balance of pregnant women, gum inflammation is more common. If the food residues accumulated on the gums are not completely cleaned, gingivitis, also known as simple gum inflammation, develops. The gums become swollen, red and bleeding. To prevent this, effective brushing of the teeth and regular use of dental floss are necessary. The development of benign gum tumors is a very common problem during pregnancy. These usually resolve spontaneously after pregnancy. In women who frequently vomit due to nausea during this period, the acid level in the mouth increases, which increases the wear, decay and sensitivity of the teeth. All of these problems can be prevented with good oral care during pregnancy. If women pay attention to these, they will not experience any problems in terms of dental health during pregnancy.
Dental health during pregnancy
First 3 months: This is the period when the baby's health is most sensitive. Unnecessary interventions during this period may cause miscarriage . This is because it is a period when the baby's organs are developing. However, if there are conditions that cause the expectant mother a lot of pain and that may cause more harm if not intervened, a dentist should definitely be visited. If there is an emergency, interventions such as tooth extraction and root canal treatment will be treated with the methods applied by the doctor. Only emergency dental treatment is performed during this period.
Second trimester: This period of pregnancy is considered the most suitable period for dental and gum treatments. Problems related to teeth and gums that are not postponed until after birth can be treated during this period. Treatments such as fillings, root canal treatment, tooth extraction, and gingivitis can be performed safely.
Third trimester: During this period of pregnancy, care should be taken as in the first trimester, as the baby grows in the womb. Intervention should not be made for problems that will be postponed until after birth. The dentist will not intervene in non-emergency situations anyway. It should also be remembered that the expectant mother will be uncomfortable sitting in the dentist's chair for a long time during this period.
The importance of dental care during pregnancy
Daily oral and dental care should be done regularly.
Before pregnancy, the expectant mother should undergo a complete oral examination and ensure oral hygiene. She should make this a habit and continue throughout her pregnancy.
There is a direct relationship between plaque accumulation on teeth and gum disease and hormonal changes during pregnancy. Therefore, oral care is extremely important.
Due to the increase in hormones that occur during pregnancy, the oral mucosa becomes more sensitive to external factors. In particular, an environment more prone to bacterial plaques is formed.
Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day and dental floss should be used to ensure effective dental care. In this way, plaque accumulation should be prevented.
You should consult your doctor about mouthwashes. In the meantime, you can gargle with salt water. This is a practice that soothes the gums and reduces sensitivity.
Dental anesthesia during pregnancy
It is recommended that most drugs should not be used during pregnancy or that they should be used under the supervision of a doctor. However, no side effects have been determined for local anesthetics to be used in dental treatments. If the manufacturer does not have a method of use to the contrary, there is no harm in using local anesthetics. The manufacturer's recommendations should be taken into account during use. In this way, patients will be relieved of tooth and gum problems without feeling pain and experiencing less stress during treatment.
Antibiotic use: Using antibiotics during pregnancy, especially penicillin and its derivatives, does not pose any harm to the baby. However, tetracycline group antibiotics should not be used. If these are taken during pregnancy, they may cause discoloration on the baby's teeth.
Painkillers: When using painkillers, the recommendations of the manufacturers should be followed and used accordingly.
X-ray: X-ray machines used in dentistry contain very low levels of radiation. Pregnant women can receive more radiation than this from outside. However, they should not have an X-ray unless absolutely necessary. If an X-ray needs to be taken, it is recommended that a protective lead apron be worn and that low doses and fast film be applied. This should be postponed until after birth unless it is necessary.
Pregnancy gingivitis (Pregnancy gingivitis)
In the early stages of pregnancy, swelling, bleeding and redness may occur in the gums. In this case, the gums become sensitive and can bleed easily. These effects on the gums of the expectant mother occur due to the increase in estrogen and progesterone hormones during pregnancy. Pregnancy gingivitis usually begins in the 2nd month of pregnancy and continues until the 8th month. It shows spontaneous recovery with the birth.
In women who do not regularly care for their mouth and teeth during pregnancy, formations such as bacterial plaque or tartar that cause gum irritation can increase the effect of gingivitis to more serious levels. If there are deep tartar deposits on the teeth, they should be treated by a dentist. However, as with other dental treatments, these should be done in the second trimester of pregnancy. Since the baby's organs are in the development process in the first trimester of pregnancy, dental treatments should not be performed at this stage. In the last trimester, such interventions can have the effect of premature birth due to factors such as the mother's inability to sit comfortably in the chair and excessive stress.
Tooth extraction during pregnancy
The pregnancy process is a special period when the whole body undergoes physical and psychological changes. The mouth is a very sensitive area in such changes in the body. In some cases, there may be a situation where the mother-to-be neglects her personal care by thinking about her baby due to the stressful process she goes through during pregnancy. There may be negative effects in the mouth due to nausea and vomiting that occur during this period. Problems may occur in the structures in the mouth due to reasons such as excessive interest and disgust towards foods. The mouth is also negatively affected due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. Tooth decay accelerates, especially since the acidity in the blood and saliva increases. Teeth wear and soften due to bacteria. Therefore, dental diseases will occur more frequently and easily than before. Therefore, women should undergo a dentist check-up before pregnancy and get their oral health in order. This is very important for the health of both the mother-to-be and the baby. Tooth extraction should not be done during pregnancy unless it is necessary. These should be postponed until after birth. However, if teeth need to be extracted, the second trimester will be appropriate.
Tooth decay during pregnancy
There is no calcium loss from the teeth of the expectant mother during pregnancy. There is a common misconception about this issue. If the balance in the body is disrupted during this process, a suitable environment for tooth decay is created. In order to prevent this, the necessary precautions should be taken and a healthy pregnancy should be had. The reasons that cause teeth to decay faster during pregnancy are;
Expectant mothers may be overly fond of junk food and sweets during this period. When brushing teeth is neglected after consuming these, the formation of bacteria in the mouth accelerates. For this reason, expectant mothers should avoid snacks as much as possible. They should brush their teeth after main meals. It is recommended that they at least rinse their mouth with water after eating between meals.
If the mother-to-be does not pay attention to oral care during vomiting in the first trimester of pregnancy, the formation of tooth decay accelerates. To prevent this, the mouth should be rinsed with water or the teeth should be brushed half an hour after vomiting.
Expectant mothers whose gums tend to bleed more easily due to increased estrogen and progesterone hormones during pregnancy do not want to brush their teeth. On the contrary, teeth should be brushed more carefully during this period.
What should be done for the baby's dental health during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the baby's teeth begin to develop in the womb. During this process, the expectant mother should create a balanced diet for both herself and her baby's teeth development. For dental health, the expectant mother should consume meat, milk, yellow vegetables, eggs and fruits containing protein and vitamin A, foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits and strawberries for vitamin C, foods such as milk, meat, fish and eggs for vitamin D, and milk and dairy products and green leafy vegetables for calcium. She should also not use medication unconsciously. These negatively affect not only the baby's teeth development but also the development of the body. If expectant mothers have sufficient information on these issues and act correctly, they will ensure that their baby has healthy teeth throughout their life.
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