Dental Care During Pregnancy: What Family Dentists Advise
Dental care during pregnancy differs from routine care. Learn why tooth extraction and fillings are avoided and how family dental care treats scaling.
Did you know that dental care for pregnant women is very different from everyone else's? The reason is the developing fetus in the mother's body, which is vulnerable to problems if dental procedures are carried out. In line with family dental care, here is what to keep in mind so that pregnancy and delivery go smoothly.
Make Sure You Don't Do These to Your Teeth While Pregnant
Hormonal instability in pregnant women can easily affect the condition of the teeth. Some women get excessive canker sores, inflamed gums that bleed, or cavities and sensitive teeth. If you want treatment, make sure you are supervised by a family dental care professional, and do not do just anything. Some things to avoid:
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Tooth extraction
Why is it prohibited? An extraction requires the mother to receive anesthetic in a specific area of the mouth. The anesthetic can interfere with the fetus's growth and development, and so can the extraction itself, which can have serious consequences, from birth defects to miscarriage.
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Filling cavities
Cavities are indeed common during pregnancy, because of insufficient calcium intake or certain foods eaten. But fillings are not recommended for pregnant women, because the substances in filling material will, to some degree, affect the fetus. That is why most fillings during pregnancy are only temporary ones using safe material, and only if really needed. If not, pregnant women are usually just asked to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and to avoid chewing food with the cavity tooth.
Also read 5 Things to Avoid If You Are Getting a Dental Implant
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Cleaning tartar
Some family dental care dentists actually still allow pregnant women to have tartar cleaned, especially if they have gum inflammation during pregnancy. Others forbid it, on the grounds that if the dental nerve is touched during cleaning, it will affect the fetus.
If you are pregnant, you really do need to be extra careful about your health, including your teeth. Wrong handling affects the fetus directly. That is why understanding family dental care for pregnant women is so important, so that the pregnancy stays healthy until the time comes to deliver a healthy baby too.