Today, I would like to talk to you about the pregnancy process and the misconceptions about oral and dental health in this process.
What changes in the mouth during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a time when the body’s hormones fluctuate a lot. In particular, the most significant increase occurs in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones affect the gums quite a lot. This effect; swelling in the gums, gingival enlargement, exacerbation of gingivitis, which we have described before. For this reason, the expectant mother should go through a dentist’s control before deciding to become pregnant and should be under the control of a dentist during her pregnancy. This control process should be in 3-month periods.
Will there be tooth loss during pregnancy?
NO! The loss of calcium from the mother’s teeth during pregnancy, or the belief that a mother will lose a tooth with each pregnancy, is just a myth. However, like all legends, there is a point that has a share of truth in this too. A problem in the mouth of a mother-to-be may be exacerbated as a result of hormonal changes during pregnancy, and this can sometimes go as far as tooth loss. For this reason, there is a misconception that “pregnancy” caused tooth loss. However, pregnancy itself can never be a factor for tooth loss.
Do teeth rot quickly during pregnancy?
During this period, the reason for the rapid decay of the teeth is due to some mistakes made by the expectant mother. Because:
* As a result of the excessive desire for sweets, the teeth are not brushed between frequent snacks.
* With the effect of estrogen and progesterone hormones, gingivitis develops immediately in the teeth that are not brushed, as a result, bleeding occurs in the gums and the expectant mother becomes afraid of bleeding and does not brush her teeth at all. As a result, both gingivitis and caries occur.
* In the first 3 months, stomach acid affects the teeth due to frequent vomiting, and not paying attention to brushing habits triggers caries.
Are there any procedures that should not be done during pregnancy?
Generally, non-urgent procedures can be done during pregnancy. However, the best time for a dental treatment is from the end of the 3rd month to the end of the 6th month. In emergencies accompanied by severe pain, treatment can be performed at any time during pregnancy. There is no harm to either the mother or the baby to numb the female. However, the choice of certain drugs should be discussed with the gynecologist of the expectant mother.
What should the expectant mother do for the baby’s dental health?
The baby’s tooth development begins in the womb. During this period, the mother should pay attention to a balanced diet for both her own health and the dental development of her baby. For dental health, protein, vitamin A (which are meat, milk, eggs, yellow vegetables and fruits), vitamin C (citrus, tomatoes, strawberries), vitamin D (meat, milk, eggs, fish) and calcium (milk, dairy products) It is necessary to take foods rich in green and yellow leafy vegetables). In addition, unconscious drug use should be avoided. Unconscious use of drugs will adversely affect not only the dental health of the baby, but also the general health of the baby.
Does the use of antibiotics during pregnancy affect the teeth?
Except for the “tetracycline” group antibiotics that can be used during pregnancy, no antibiotic group that can cause discoloration or any other problem has been identified so far.
On the occasion of the mother’s day that we have left behind recently, I congratulate all mothers on mother’s day again. And I wish all expectant mothers a happy smile with smooth teeth.
