Pregnancy is a wonderful period for every woman, accompanied by many
changes, bodily as well as psychologically. Most of the future mothers
devote themselves entirely to the child they are expecting, and
neglect themselves and certainly their oral health, as well. The
purpose of this pamphlet is to provide all the necessary information to
future mothers, so that they will understand the importance of their
own oral health, and to inform them what they must do in order to
ensure the infant's good oral health in the future.
Question: What do I have to know about my health and my nutrition during my pregnancy?
Your health and nutritional habits during your pregnancy are very
important not only for the development of the fetus, but also for the
development of its teeth. By taking care of these factors you have
already started to take good care of the health and the teeth of your
infant.
Your bones and your nutrition, and not your own teeth, are the sources
which provide calcium for bone and tooth development of your baby. The
myth saying that the infant is «stealing» calcium from its mother, who
then starts having dental problems, does not have any scientific base.
In general your nutrition should include meat, milk, dairy products,
fruit, vegetables, starch-containing foods; meanwhile you should not
consume alcohol, nor smoke.
Pregnant women tend to have snacks between their main meals. Usually
these snacks contain sugar in considerable quantities, which, in the
end, is the factor that causes damage to their teeth. For this reason,
it is recommended that you minimize consumption of these snacks
between main meals.
Question: What kind of dental problems could we face during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a time period in which secretion of many different
hormones takes place. This hormonal disturbance might result in
swelling, pain or bleeding of a pregnant woman’s gums. This is a
problem that is related to pregnancy and disappears as soon as she
gives birth. The severity of this situation can be improved with the
systematic brushing of the teeth and the use of dental floss.
Question: Do I have to visit my dentist during pregnancy?
The regular examination of your teeth and gums during pregnancy is
important, especially if you experience symptoms such as the ones
described above. It is preferable to visit your dentist before the
delivery, because after that you may have to wait for 3 months before
you arrange an appointment with your dentist and have any dental work
done. Of course you will have to inform your dentist that you are
pregnant, because this might change the treatment plan or the
medication that might be used in your case.