It’s important for you to take good care of your teeth and gums while pregnant. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes that increase the risk of developing gum disease which, in turn, can affect the health of your developing baby. You must clean your teeth carefully twice a day for two minutes, preferably with a small headed toothbrush to help prevent gagging if you feel nauseous.
If you have morning sickness and you vomit, avoid brushing your teeth straight after and rinse your mouth out with plain water instead. Acid from the vomit weakens the enamel on your teeth, and brushing straight afterwards can cause tiny particles of enamel to be brushed away. It is best to brush your teeth an hour after.
The first and second halve of the third trimester are critical times in the baby’s growth and development. Therefore, dental treatments should be avoided as much as possible as a precautionary measure. It is still important to go to see your dentist for your regular check-up.
You must let your dentist know of the dosage and names of all your drugs you are taking. It is important you don’t take tetracycline when you are pregnant as it can affect the development of your child’s teeth.
You should avoid having x-rays taken when pregnant. X-rays are short burst of radiation that can pass through body tissue. With advances in technology they are much safer now and use much lower dosages of radiation. The dentist will usually wait until you have had the baby to take x-rays even though most dental x-rays don’t affect the abdomen or pelvis area.
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