If you’re thinking about starting a family it’s time to think about your dental health seriously. With recent studies, the connection between your oral health before pregnancy and during pregnancy is becoming clearer and clearer. Before pregnancy, it’s important to address dental health issues, because pregnancy may present your oral health with its own challenges. If you would like to learn more about this, please check out Chanhassen Family Dentistry.
What do you see from the research?
First of all, it does not endorse the tale of the old ladies that says you ‘re going to “loose a tooth for every pregnancy,” while losing teeth can result from inadequate dental treatment during pregnancy due to periodontal illness. (The tale of the old wives was based on the assumption that the body should dissolve a tooth to supply the developing child with additional calcium.) Some research findings which support the need for “pre-family dentistry” are as follows:
Several studies indicate a correlation between good oral health and fertility. Women pursuing fertility therapies were more likely to have gum bleeding and inflammation than their counterparts who could conceive without medication for fertility.
Gingivitis (often a precursor to more serious periodontal disease) occurs somewhere between 60 and 75 percent of pregnant women. Hormones related to pregnancy tend to increase incidence.
One study suggests that women with gingivitis or other more severe gum disease are three times as likely before 37 weeks of delivery. Another study suggested that those with severe gum disease were seven times more likely to be delivering very early-32 weeks before.
Another study indicates that it is three times more likely to have a low birth weight (and related health risks) if the mother has gingivitis during pregnancy, regardless of whether the baby is carried to term or not.
Why are tumours in pregnancy?
As many as 10 percent of pregnant women may grow “pregnancy tumours”-named pyogenic granulomas more appropriately. While not cancerous, these growths on the gums can quickly bleed and can cause sufficient pain to require removal in some situations. They can also return if removed. Normally after birth they go away on their own.
How would you do when you got pregnant?
Regularly brush and floss to prevent plaque build-up which can cause gingivitis. For routine dental check-ups, visit your family dental office, and get your teeth cleaned to avoid any plaque build-up.