Dentistry for Pregnant Women

2017-04-13
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One of the most controversial issues that arise in every woman’s mind is the treatment of teeth during pregnancy, which is full of myths and rumors. Which ones are true, and which ones should not be paid attention to?

Medical advice and recommendations will help you to understand this problem situation and make the right decision - to go or not to a NYC dentist during the period of carrying a baby. After all, the health of both mother-to-be and her unborn child depends on this.

Reasons for Teeth Injury During Pregnancy

Depending on heredity and health of women, during pregnancy teeth can be injured a lot. But also may remain perfectly healthy throughout 9 months.

The latter is possible if parents planned the birth of a child and oral cavity of future mother was sanitized (i.e., treated) before impregnation. The reasons for such destructive effect on a pregnant woman's teeth are the following:

  • Change of endocrine profile
  • Gums are supplied with a large quantity of blood and become quaggy and accessible to pathogens. If a woman does not go to the dentist, it can result in gingivitis, periodontitis and caries.
  • Because of toxicosis, women cannot avoid nausea and vomiting. Vomit has a low level of acidity due to the abundance of hydrochloric acid. They lead to erosion, thinning of teeth enamel.
  • A lot of calcium is consumed for the antenatal period of children's skeleton. The child receives it from maternal bone system, which includes teeth. If a woman lacks calcium during pregnancy, her teeth start breaking down

Pregnancy is stressful for female body, and it affects all its systems and organs in different way. A mouth cavity is not an exception. If there is no sanitation, adequate treatment, proper care for it during this period, the teeth will begin to injure, crumble, then comes a tooth loss, and the gums start bleeding.

Effect of Dental Health on Pregnancy

In fact, a lot of women doubt if it is necessary to treat teeth during pregnancy. Why not wait for the birth of a baby and visit a dentist after that?

If you understand how closely dental diseases are related to the intrauterine development of a baby and his health, there won’t be such a question.

Some facts about connection teeth and a baby health:

  • According to recent studies, a bacterium that provokes tooth caries often results in premature birth or birth with a small body weight
  • Pulpitis and periodontitis cause absorption of pathogenic bacteria and toxins into the blood, which can get to the fetus and infect it
  • Toothache is a psychotraumatic factor for a pregnant woman, which leads to release of hormones into the body. All this negatively affects intrauterine development of the child
  • Infection from a rotten tooth can get into the digestive tract and cause preeclampsia, i.e. late toxicosis

These factors are enough to understand why it is necessary to treat the teeth during pregnancy with exacerbation of dental diseases. A woman should always remember about her unborn child, who must be protected by any means.

Stubborn statistics. 91.4% of women with a favorable pregnancy are diagnosed with caries. And 94% of women are diagnosed with caries if pregnancy period is complicated by toxicosis.

When You Can Treat Your Teeth During Pregnancy

II trimester is the most suitable time for a visit to a dentist. Depending on the disease, the doctor will decide which therapy to perform: preventive or surgical, nerve removal or usual filling, with or without anesthesia.

Article Approved by:

Reena Clarkson Orthodontist, DDS