Dental Health

Pregnancy & Oral Health

Pregnancy is a very special time. You’ll want to think about taking good care of yourself and getting your baby’s life off to a healthy start. Your oral health is an important part of your overall health, and good oral health habits not only help prevent oral problems during pregnancy, they also affect the health of your unborn child.

During pregnancy, there is a special need for good oral hygiene because pregnancy may exaggerate some dental disorders. Many people believe that a tooth is lost for every pregnancy. This is not true. Teeth are lost as a result of tooth decay or periodontal disease – not pregnancy.

Eating habits usually change during pregnancy and women may be more susceptible to gingivitis because of increased hormone levels. Strict observance of good oral hygiene, regular professional cleanings and a balanced diet can insure that you keep all your permanent teeth. It is common during pregnancy that your gums may become more tender. In addition they may be puffy or inflamed. It is very important to take even better care of your gums during the pregnancy. Coming in for routine cleanings during the pregnancy is strongly advised.

X-rays are important tools we use to help detect dental caries and other oral health problems. Only the x-rays that are necessary for treatment will be taken at this time. The amount of radiation produced from our digital x-rays is very minute (approximately 80% less than conventional dental x-rays) and the beam is limited to a small region of the face. The use of lead aprons gives you additional protection.