In the list of important care that every pregnancy requires, there are undoubtedly the procedures that preserve oral health, as the healthy body and the well-being of the pregnant woman also depend on it. During pregnancy, the health of the mother, which is directly linked to the health of the baby, must be closely monitored.
The pregnant woman goes through several restrictions at this stage, from medication, sports to food. The question always arises: “Can it?” When in doubt, it is worth avoiding, considering the risk to the baby.
Often, precisely because they understand that dental treatment can be on the list of these restrictions, the pregnant woman ends up moving away from the dentist.
This error, unfortunately, is not uncommon. Some dental procedures can be postponed during pregnancy, but others must be performed. The evaluation, however, is only made by the dental professional, who is also prepared to monitor and preserve the oral health of future mothers, avoiding any type of risk.
An illuminating example is the treatment of gingival bleeding. Hormonal changes often cause gum inflammation, which even bleeds, which is called pregnancy gingivitis. Correct guidance on oral hygiene, combined with tartar removal, a simple procedure, can easily end this terrifyingly named nuisance.
During pregnancy, a more fractionated diet, which is not always accompanied by the necessary tooth brushing after each snack, facilitates the emergence of oral problems. This situation can be aggravated by the greater tendency to gastric reflux and reduced immunity, which we see in pregnant women .
Stomach compression and gastric reflux can increase oral acidity and cavities. Hyperemesis, that state we know, in which the pregnant woman suffers from so much nausea and vomiting, can also cause acid erosion in enamel and dentin.
Many women report dental problems that started after pregnancy, but they do not relate to the lack of professional dental care during this period.
If the time without proper oral care, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, is too long, the development of dental problems can reach a more advanced stage.
Let us remember that preventive dentistry brings countless benefits to comfort and oral health, ridding the future mother of such unwanted discomforts and problems that harm her well-being in those most delicate moments, both during management and in the postpartum period, where the mother naturally will be involved with the care of the new baby.
The pregnant woman should always remember her commitment to oral health, attending periodic consultations (biannual or annual) for caries detection and prophylaxis (cleaning) procedures, thus always keeping her dental check-up up to date.
Today, it is recommended that, in addition to taking care of their oral health, pregnant women have a prenatal consultation with the pediatric dentist to receive guidance on the baby's oral health and the necessary care from birth, even before the first tooth.
The second trimester of pregnancy is the most recommended for dental treatments.
Some signs that the pregnant woman should urgently go to the dentist:
– Bleeding gums.
– Restoration fall.
– Pain to stimuli such as sweet, cold and heat or spontaneous.
– Loose prostheses.
– Teeth with prolonged dressing.
– Swelling of the face or gums
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