Forget about fake myths and look after your smile during your pregnancy!

During years, fake myths have been showing up about cleaning and healthy routines of our teeth. Guidelines and tips to make or not make something, food we should avoid or which are the best daily routines we should follow to clean our teeth so we can have a healthy mouth. It is true that most of them are actually advisable to follow, but others aren’t true at all. In this case we are talking about that myth about not visiting the dentist during the pregnancy period. False!

During pregnancy, women must extreme care and also maintain a good oral health and hygiene, this is crucial because the oral cavity is one of the most affected areas during this gestation period. Hormonal changes when being pregnant can affect the gum provoking an inflammation denominated “pregnancy gingivitis”, that appears generally between the third and the eight month and it usually disappear after birth.

The salivary composition changes during the end of the gestation and breast-feeding period. This variation can lead in caries and dental erosion. The physiological xerostomia is another common issue during pregnancy, which main cause is hormonal changes or even due to certain medication (antispasmodics, antidepressants, antihistamines). Dentists must provide preventive care and emergency treatments as soon as possible during gestation. Caries and gingivitis prevention to get a healthy mouth is a primary objective during pregnancy.

The specialist should not postpone the dental treatment in a pregnant woman in pain, with infection or a dental emergency because the consequences of this delay when there is an infection can lead in a bigger risk than the treatment itself. If there is a choice, the second quarter of the pregnancy is the ideal moment and the most confortable for the patient, not forgetting that the visits should be quick and comfy.

While it is true that x-rays should be avoided, their radiation is small and in an oral emergency could be necessary, so in this case, the dentist will take all the caution needed to avoid or reduce risks. To take care of their oral health, a pregnant woman can practice these useful tips:

• Visit your dentist. You can receive dental treatment in every moment of the pregnancy but it will be more comfy for you during the second quarter.
• During the earliest weeks of the pregnancy you can visit your dentist to find out which routines you should follow to avoid complications in your oral health and how you will have go through the cleaning of your baby’s mouth to avoid the risk of caries.
• Brush your teeth and gums after each meal to avoid the accumulation of plaque or the increase of risks of suffering gingivitis.

• Keep a healthy diet and avoid eating between meals.
• Use tooth paste and mouth washers with fluorine, it helps to mineralize the damaged enamel because of the vomit.
• The antiseptic therapy and the maintenance of a good oral health are essential to control the caries and to reduce the severity of the bacterial transmission to the baby.
• The periodontal treatment is effective reducing the gums’ illness and pathogens, so that, it is recommended to make the treatment during the pregnancy.
• When your baby is born, avoid contaminating the spoon or the pacifier. Keep in mind that your saliva contains bacteria that you are transferring to your baby.