If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, or are currently expecting then your dental health might be the last thing on your mind, but great oral hygiene should be one of your top priorities.
It’s important to ensure your teeth and gums are in healthy condition, preferably before you even become pregnant. If you’re thinking about adding to your family then it is worth booking an appointment with Dr Rik Trivedi or another of our dentist in Kent for a full check-up. It’s vitally important to make sure you don’t have any signs of gum disease as this condition could become worse during your pregnancy. Gum disease has been linked to premature births and low birth weight babies so it’s simply not worth taking the risk.
It’s quite possible that Dr Trivedi may recommend you visit Parrock Dental and Implant Centre more frequently during your pregnancy, especially if he thinks your risk of developing gum disease is higher than average. This is something that will need careful monitoring, and having your teeth professionally cleaned more frequently can help reduce this risk.
Pregnancy Can Increase the Risk of Gum Disease
Becoming pregnant creates hormonal changes that can affect your gums, increasing the risk of gum disease or gingivitis throughout the course of your pregnancy. This is because the increase in oestrogen affects the way your gums react to the bacteria responsible for causing gum disease, increasing their sensitivity towards them. As a result your body is likely to react more strongly to the presence of bacteria through producing antibodies. It’s these antibodies that create the inflammation in your gums, and this is responsible for much of the destruction that occurs due to gum disease.
This condition is called pregnancy gingivitis, and although it should clear up once the baby is born, it’s important to try to prevent it from occurring in the first place. The same sensitivity can lead to some women developing what are called pregnancy tumours which are small growths on the gums. These are painless and harmless, and will most likely disappear without requiring any treatment, but occasionally they may need to be removed.
With the proper dental care you should be able to ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy throughout your pregnancy, and there shouldn’t be any risk of losing teeth. If you do then of course you can replace them through having dental implants in Kent, but we’d much prefer you keep hold of them!
You can find out more about how to look after your teeth and gums during pregnancy through booking an appointment with us. Just give us a call on 01474 437191 or alternatively you can e-mail us your questions on info@parrockdental.co.uk