Pregnancy and Oral Health

It is important for the expectant mother to take care of her oral health throughout her pregnancy, so that the beginning of her baby’s life is the best possible. It is good to make sure during pregnancy that the family’s oral hygiene practices and eating habits are conducive to oral health. Bad teeth are not so much inherited from parents to children, but the teeth cleaning routine and eating habits are.

Oral care when planning pregnancy

If you’re planning to get pregnant, it’s the perfect time to make sure your teeth and gums and the rest of your body are in good shape. Finally, when planning pregnancy, you should take care of your mouth and teeth, because hormonal changes during pregnancy cause many changes in the mouth as well. During pregnancy, the risk of tooth decay increases and, for example, gingivitis gets worse easily. Tooth attachment tissue disease, which has been found to increase the risk of premature birth. It is recommended to avoid carrying out extensive treatment procedures during pregnancy, and therefore it is important to take care of your mouth in the planning phase of pregnancy.

Oral care during pregnancy

Good luck – you have to prepare for the birth of a child in many ways, and oral care is not necessarily the first thing on your mind. During pregnancy, you should be especially careful about good and careful oral hygiene. Oral care professionals are happy to advise on oral care during pregnancy and tell you how pregnancy affects the mouth and oral health.

Pay special attention to careful oral care. Always use fluoride toothpaste to brush your teeth and brush your teeth at least twice a day, not forgetting to clean between the teeth. You can clean between the teeth with either dental floss or an inter-dental brush. Consuming xylitol products helps to neutralize mouth acids after meals and vomiting caused by nausea, but can also, if consumed regularly, help promote a child’s oral health.

Changes in the mouth during pregnancy

Pregnancy causes many changes in the mother’s hormone function and also affects oral health. You may notice changes in your mouth during pregnancy, for example in saliva production. As the hormonal function changes, the ph of the mother’s saliva drops, i.e. The mouth becomes acidic, the effect of restoring the acid balance of the saliva weakens and the gums resistance to bacterial irritation weakens. As a result of these changes, saliva no longer neutralizes acid attacks like before, and teeth are more susceptible to cavities and gingivitis.