Brush Up for Baby: Why Keeping Your Smile Healthy is Crucial During Pregnancy

HOW MAINTAINING ORAL HEALTH IN PREGNANCY CAN KEEP YOU OUT FROM TROUBLE

??????????????????????????????????????Dr. Tanya Batra??????????????????????????????????

Being able to give life to a new individual is the biggest blessing that Mother Nature has endowed us with. Whenever a lady becomes pregnant or is expecting a child, a lot of changes are seen in the body at physical, hormonal and even nutritional levels.?

It becomes imperative for an expecting mother to take care of her overall health during the period of pregnancy as the health of the mother and her nutritional status directly impacts the health of her growing child. We have all seen how concerned and elated the family becomes as soon as this blessing in disguise gets announced. But have we ever pondered about the fact that as important it is to take care of overall health at such a crucial time, the oral health should not be neglected as well??

WHAT CAUSES DENTAL ISSUES DURING PREGNANCY?

Many studies all over the world have stated that oral health is likely to be neglected amongst expecting mothers due to a plethora of reasons. The percentage of dental problems in pregnant females can range from 65% to 70% females. So the next question that pops up our mind is what causes dental issues or why dental health is neglected in pregnancy?

The reasons include-

? Frequent / binge-eating by expecting mothers

? Lack of awareness regarding taking care of oral health

? Absence of prenatal (during pregnancy) dental health counselling in India

? Certain hormonal levels (estrogen and progesterone) increase which are likely to cause gum swelling if oral hygiene is not maintained adequately.?

WHAT CAN DENTAL NEGLECT LEAD TO? A TIP TO TIP OFF….

Poor dental health can lead to various problems which might also affect the child in certain cases like-

? Swelling or enlarged gums

? Painful gums

? Loosening of prosthesis/ teeth due to gum disease if proper dental care is not taken?

? Preterm birth of child?

? Reduced weight of a new-born child?

? Increased risk of dental cavities

WHY IS EXTRA PRECAUTIONS AND REGULAR DENTAL VISITS A PRIME CONCERN?

Have you ever been told that pregnant ladies are asked to avoid a lot of regular medicines due to their inevitable side effects on the growing child in the womb??

Imagine having pain and not being able to take the usual ibuprofen or certain antibiotics (tetracycline) unless prescribed by a doctor, which previously you used to gulp down without even considering the doctor’s prescription. Now, envision a scenario in which someone gets dental pain and swelling during pregnancy. How concerning the situation would be for the patient and the doctor as so many medicines cannot be given. Hence, early dental cavity detection and regular cleaning becomes all the more necessary and it? becomes imperative for an expecting mother to take care of her overall health during the period of pregnancy as the health of mother and her nutritional status directly impacts the health of her growing child. We have all seen how concerned and elated the family becomes as soon as this blessing in disguise gets announced. But have we ever pondered about the fact that as important it is to take care of overall health in such a crucial time, the oral health should not be neglected as well.?

?HOW TO TAKE CARE OF ORAL HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY??

• Regular and proper brushing twice daily to be practiced
• FLOSS LIKE A BOSS

Flossing helps in removing the food deposits in between the teeth preventing us from developing gum disease and dental cavities

• Avoid sweet and sticky diets as much as you can.?
• Rinse after every meal?
• Rinse specifically with water if you suffer from morning sickness and have frequent vomiting as the acid present in the vomit can wear away the tooth surface.?
• Visit your dentist regularly.

THINGS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF WHILE VISITING THE DENTIST!

• ?Inform your dentist/ doctor ?about your pregnancy. This makes them be cautious and streamline the medicines to be given to you for your own safety
• ?Dental care can be done any time during pregnancy. Emergency procedures can be done? anytime and elective procedures are deferred but still the second trimester which includes fourth, fifth and sixth month of pregnancy is considered the safest period for all elective dental procedures.??

NOT EVERYDAY OF PREGNANCY IS EASY, BUT EVERYDAY BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO A HEALTHY LIFE AND LIFETIME OF LOVE!!

LET’S MAKE THIS JOURNEY HEALTHY AND FRUITFUL TOGETHER.

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