Dental health during pregnancy

Your dental health will likely get worse during pregnancy, and there are a few reasons for this. Dr Aurora Els, a dentist at Mediclinic Newcastle, says that hormones are a major reason for this. They cause your gum tissue to become inflamed.

“This causes more plaque to build up on your teeth, known as pregnancy gingivitis,” she explains. It’s most common in the second month of pregnancy and tends to peak around the eighth month. You might experience bleeding, sore, and inflamed gums, which is as painful as it sounds. Dr Els reassures that this usually gets better on its own after you give birth.

Your increased appetite also contributes to dental problems, especially if you’re eating more sweets than usual, which can lead to tooth decay.

That said, you’re not in the clear if you’ve lost your appetite because of nausea. Dr Els points out that nausea is often paired with vomiting, which increases the acidity in your mouth and can lead to tooth erosion. “Additionally, many pregnant patients develop a dislike for the taste of toothpaste, making it hard for them to brush their teeth,” she says. This makes dental problems worse, and the issue is compounded by dry mouth, which is also common during pregnancy.

Tooth decay and pregnancy gingivitis are not the only conditions that may occur. “Some women experience a pregnancy granuloma; a growth on the gums or elsewhere in the mouth that unfortunately requires surgery (or laser surgery) to be removed,” says Dr Els.

Tooth loss is another potential problem. One theory suggests that calcium is taken from the teeth during pregnancy, but it’s more likely that dental issues are due to issues like nausea and vomiting, eating more high-carb snacks, reduced saliva flow, and a decline in oral hygiene.

"In my own experience, I’ve come across women who think or have been told that they can’t visit the dentist during pregnancy. Because of this, dental issues go untreated. I’ve seen many simple problems get worse and need more extensive treatment after the baby is born. It’s safe to have fillings and even root canals when you’re pregnant.”

Even though sitting in a dentist’s chair might be uncomfortable, especially in the third trimester, you can have a dental check-up at any point during your pregnancy. “Letting a mother experience toothache for three to four months does more damage than assessing and treating what can be treated while she is pregnant,” Dr Els says. She especially recommends a cleaning visit in your second trimester, as it will become too difficult to lie on your back later. However, if it's possible to postpone dental work that's not urgent, do so. This applies especially to aesthetic work like veneers, whitening, and cosmetic procedures.

“It’s important to stick to good dental hygiene during pregnancy because hormonal changes can cause periodontitis, which leads to gum inflammation and can spread inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can even affect the placenta and might contribute to preeclampsia, although periodontal bacteria are also found in full-term pregnancies,” says Dr Els.

This is another reason to keep up your dental hygiene while pregnant, she adds, as recent studies have shown maternal gum disease can lead to early labour.

Here are some ways you can look after your teeth:

• The simplest advice is to brush your teeth for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and floss every day. Don’t rinse your mouth after brushing before bed as this helps the fluoride stay on your teeth and keep them strong overnight.
• Use a fluoride mouthwash; just make sure it's alcohol-free. Alternatively, you can rinse with salt water to help reduce gum inflammation.
• Drink lots of water throughout the day and try to limit sugary snacks.
• Rinse your mouth with water after frequent snacking.
• If morning sickness causes you to vomit, rinse your mouth well with water, then wait 30 minutes before brushing.
• To avoid a dry mouth from decreased saliva, try sucking on lozenges or using saliva substitutes to stimulate saliva flow. Avoid alcohol-based mouthwash, as it can make dry mouth worse.