If you are currently pregnant for the first time, you are undoubtedly doing a lot of research on how you can stay healthy during pregnancy. While a lot is usually said about how pregnancy affects the rest of your body, it is not often discussed how it can affect your teeth. It's a fact that pregnancy can cause changes in your oral health, here is a look at some of them and how to cope.
Take Care of Your Cavities
The cavities that you have can negatively impact your baby. It is best to take care of them as soon as possible. Being pregnant makes it more likely that you will have cavities. The trouble with having cavities during pregnancy is that you can pass cavity-causing bacteria to your baby. This can cause your child to have problems with their own teeth later on.
Watch Out for Gingivitis
Pregnancy makes you more susceptible to gingivitis this is because of all the pregnancy hormones that are released. This is one condition that you will want to have treated right away since it can lead to severe gum disease. The telltale sign that you have gingivitis is tenderness and bleeding in your gums. You may also experience redness and shininess of the gums. if you experience any of these you need to get to the dentist quickly he may be able to prescribe some safe antibiotics to prevent infection. Use brushes with soft bristles to brush your teeth to avoid irritation and floss regularly.
Rinse Your Mouth After Morning Sickness
Morning sickness can be dangerous to teeth this is because of the vomiting that may occur. When you vomit your teeth are exposed to acid from your stomach. This acid can cause damage to the enamel of your teeth. The worse thing about this is that you may find that using toothpaste immediately after vomiting gives you an upset stomach. If this is the case you should make a rinse with a teaspoon of baking soda and a cup of water. This will help to remove the excess acid from your mouth.
If you are pregnant you should be taking care of your teeth because the last thing you want is for any bacteria from your teeth to travel through your bloodstream and get to your baby. To prevent this from happening pay attention to the tips given here and visit your dentist regularly. Learn more by contacting clinics like Cornerstone Dental.