subject: Pregnancy and Dental Health [print this page] Obtaining appropriate dental care is crucial for both the expectant mother and her child. To ensure that your unborn baby's teeth will be in excellent condition, you must take good care of your overall health and well being and give priority to your oral health as well. Making sure that you go to your dentist for examinations, regular flossing and brushing, avoiding sweets and unhealthy food and having a balanced nutrition achieves this.
Unborn babies already have their teeth developed before their birth day as early as five or six weeks, their tooth buds form already while their tooth crowns come out as soon as they reach the age of three or six months while still in their mom's tummy. The baby's jawbone already holds the 20 primary or baby teeth once his mother welcomes him in this world. Until the baby starts to undergo the teething process, his teeth will remain inside the gums even though these are already complete.
The baby in the womb requires a lot of calcium, phosphorous and other nutrients while his teeth develop. To make sure you and your baby are healthy, you must stick to a balanced diet that gives you enough nutrients. The belief that babies in the womb use the calcium from their mothers' teeth for their own health needs is not really true. You must listen to your doctor's advice about nutrition during pregnancy as he is adept to know your specific requirements.
It is only a common myth that when a woman becomes pregnant she loses one of her teeth. If you are experiencing more tooth decay during pregnancy, it could be that you are neglecting your oral hygiene at this busy time or snacking too often on sugary foods. Tooth decay problems are not very common during pregnancy but gingivitis or gum inflammation is very possible. This dental problem known as pregnancy gingivitis is caused by the surge of hormone levels during pregnancy. The gums undergo an exaggerated reaction to the plaque under the gum line during increases. Gum inflammation among pregnant women can be avoided by regular dental health check ups as well as cleaning dental despite hormonal levels.
There is no danger in receiving most dental care during pregnancy. The second trimester of gestation is the best time to have the dental treatment that you need. Being on their first months as pregnant women makes them feel nervous, anxious or nauseated. Then, during the final months, it may be uncomfortable to sit in the dental chair for an extended period of time. These sheds light on as to why an expectant mom must have her treatments only within the second trimester.
Dental x-rays are important diagnostic tools that help your dentist detect decay and other problems that may not be apparent in a visual inspection. If you practiced good dental health care habits prior to getting pregnant, you might no longer need to have x-rays during your pregnancy. If there is a need to undergo an x-ray, one must ensure that she and her unborn child will not be exposed to a harmful amount of radiation and that the x-ray beam is narrow and not pointed straight at the abdomen and finally, a lead apron can be used to safeguard the fetus and the mother's abdomen. With proper nutrition and dental care before and during your pregnancy, you can help your baby's teeth get off to a good start and prevent dental problems for yourself as well.
