{"id":187,"date":"2021-08-04T00:36:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T00:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/?p=187"},"modified":"2021-10-04T00:36:33","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T00:36:33","slug":"pregnancy-oral-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/04\/pregnancy-oral-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Pregnancy Bad for Your Teeth?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PregnantAs soon as you found out you were expecting a little bundle of joy, you made instant changes to your diet, sleep schedule, and lifestyle to ensure your baby has everything it needs to thrive. Unfortunately, you\u2019ll learn many baby books, pamphlets, and even obstetrician appointments fail to mention how important your smile is to your baby. Your waistline isn\u2019t the only area to show the changes that come along with pregnancy. You will also have an increased risk of preventable dental issues that can place your unborn child at risk of complications. Here\u2019s what you need to know about pregnancy oral care to ensure a smooth pregnancy and delivery.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

Pregnancy-Related Dental Problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll experience several hormone changes throughout your pregnancy, which can negatively affect your dental health. The biggest threat is pregnancy gingivitis caused by hormonal changes that increase the likeliness of irritated and bleeding gums. Research has linked gum disease to several medical issues, including preterm delivery and low birth weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides your hormones, morning sickness can also contribute to dental problems. Stomach acid can weaken your tooth enamel, making expectant mothers more likely to develop cavities. Morning sickness isn\u2019t the only culprit of cavities during pregnancy. Frequent snacking throughout the day can result in frequent exposure to cavity-causing bacteria that damage the enamel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, the onset of problems is connected to poor oral hygiene habits. It\u2019s hard work growing a human body inside of you, which means it\u2019s easy to crawl into bed at night without brushing or flossing. Although you normally clean your teeth before bed, breaking the routine can cause accumulations of plaque and bacteria that can harm your smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nurture a Healthy Smile and Baby<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, it doesn\u2019t take too much to keep your smile healthy to foster your baby\u2019s development. It\u2019s best to brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes in the morning and at night. If you find yourself snacking more often, brush your teeth after every meal. Don\u2019t forget to use high-quality dental floss to clean between each tooth daily. You\u2019ll remove accumulations that can irritate your gums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although you will have a few cravings, it\u2019s best to control your sweet tooth. Eat a balanced diet that\u2019s limited in sugars and starches. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and keep your mouth clean between brushing and flossing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll want to maintain your semi-annual appointments with your dentist for a cleaning and checkup. Be sure to let them know you\u2019re expecting, so they can take precautions to keep you and your baby safe while promoting your oral health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Dr. Reema Dhingra<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Reema<\/a> earned her dental degree at the Tufts School of Dental Medicine before achieving her orthodontic certifications. She is passionate about providing comfortable care for the young smiles in the Auburn area. She\u2019ll be by your child\u2019s side from birth to graduation to promote a healthy smile. If it\u2019s time for your child\u2019s first cleaning and checkup<\/a>, contact our office today to schedule an appointment<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As soon as you found out you were expecting a little bundle of joy, you made instant changes to your diet, sleep schedule, and lifestyle to ensure your baby has everything it needs to thrive. Unfortunately, you\u2019ll learn many baby books, pamphlets, and even obstetrician appointments fail to mention how important your smile is to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":189,"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187\/revisions\/189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newengland-kids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}