Q & A's

Pregnancy is an important time in a woman’s life. While women often hear about how pregnancy causes physical changes that affect their hormone or appetite levels, these changes can have a great effect on their oral health as well. Pregnancy can lead to dental problems in some women, including gum disease and increased risk of tooth decay. During pregnancy, your increased hormones can affect your body’s response to plaque (the layer of germs on your teeth).

Pregnancy does not automatically damage your teeth. The old wives’ tale that warns a woman to expect a lost tooth for every baby is false. If the mother’s intake of calcium is inadequate during pregnancy, her bones – not her teeth – will provide the calcium her growing baby needs. This calcium loss is quickly made up after breastfeeding is stopped. However, the demands of pregnancy can lead to particular dental problems in some women.

With proper hygiene at home and professional help from your dentist, your teeth should remain healthy throughout pregnancy.

“Hormonal changes during pregnancy can result in several changes in the mouth,” says Dr Markijan Hupalo. “Reports show that the most common oral disease is gingivitis or inflammation of the gums, which has been reported in 30 to 100 percent of pregnancies. The hormonal changes that occur during the firs and third trimesters in particular can produce an over reaction of your gums to plaque and bacteria left on the tooth surfaces.

The buildup of plaque that causes this inflammation of the gums, should be treated with a professional cleaning and proper toothbrushing and flossing at home. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, a more serious form of gum disease. “Patients tend to delay the treatment of oral disease due to concerns for fetal safety; however, routine dental treatment can be performed safely at any time during pregnancy,” says Dr Hupalo

Another common consequence of pregnancy is morning sickness.

Pregnancy hormones  soften the ring of muscle that keeps food inside the stomach. Gastric reflux (regurgitating food or drink) or the vomiting associated with morning sickness can coat your teeth with strong stomach acids. Repeated reflux and vomiting can damage tooth enamel and increase the risk of decay.

Suggestions include:

• Don’t brush your teeth immediately after vomiting. While the teeth are covered in stomach acids, the vigorous action of the toothbrush may scratch the tooth enamel.
• Rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain tap water.
• To neutralise acid after vomiting, pregnant women could also rinse the mouth with a mixture of a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup of water
• Follow up with a fluoridated mouthwash.
• If you don’t have a fluoridated mouthwash, put a dab of fluoridated toothpaste on your finger and smear it over your teeth.
• Brush your teeth at least an hour after vomiting. The teeth should be brushed only after the mouth has been rinsed and the acid has been neutralized to prevent further damage to the enamel.

Untreated dental disease can lead to pain, infections and unnecessary exposure to medications, any of which could harm the developing fetus. Poor oral health also can affect the nutritional intake of expectant mothers, which is essential for fetal growth and survival.

The hormonal fluctuations that result from pregnancy can produce benign pregnancy tumors in the mouth. These tumors usually appear after the first trimester and typically go away after delivery; however, surgical removal may be required when these tumors bleed, interfere with eating or do not resolve after delivery.

Oral health assessment and treatment should be an essential part of prenatal care, as these steps allow the patient to receive ongoing advice concerning proper oral hygiene and infant oral health care.