How Important Are Dental Cleanings During Pregnancy?
The Importance of Preventive Care During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of great change within a woman’s body, but it has an impact on her oral health as well. It has been well documented that the overall health of the mother plays a huge role in the health of the fetus. Understanding the relationship between oral health and pregnancy can help make a patient more compliant with keeping up with a regular hygiene schedule.
How Gum Inflammation Affects Pregnancy
Without question, pregnancy affects dental health. Oral health tends to deteriorate to some degree while expecting, with roughly 60%-75% of women experiencing pregnancy gingivitis. Pregnancy gingivitis is caused by specific hormones that are present during pregnancy and lactation. This causes women to present with an increase in bleeding and overall inflammation in the mouth.
Gums can swell, bleed, and become quite uncomfortable. As the gums swell, they tend to become more difficult to cleanse, more plaque accumulates, and the cycle continues. When the gums bleed, bacteria can enter the bloodstream through tiny lacerations in the tissue, exposing mom and baby to potentially harmful bacteria.
These pregnancy hormones also lead to an increase in vomiting (from morning sickness) as well as acid exposure from reflux, which damages the enamel.
Preventive Dental Care Recommendations for Expectant Mothers
The American Dental Association recommends that patients without periodontal disease visit their dentists for dental cleanings twice per year. The role of prevention and keeping routine dental hygiene appointments are arguably even more important during pregnancy and cannot be underscored enough. In fact, that is why some dental insurance companies pay for a third dental cleaning during a patient’s pregnancy!
Not only will the hygienist irrigate the gum tissue and remove the harmful bacteria that is making them bleed and swell, but he or she will take the opportunity to educate the expectant mother on the risks associated with increased bleeding, smoking as it relates to low/preterm birth weight, and preeclampsia, as well as how tooth decay can harm the developing fetus. The hygienist will also educate the patient about the effects of reflux and vomiting as a result of morning sickness, the effects of pregnancy hormones, and so much more!
Risks of Untreated Gum Disease and Tooth Decay During Pregnancy
It is important to understand that not only is preventive dental care important, but treating active gum disease and tooth decay is both safe and essential. Patients who smoke, and those with existing periodontal disease, risk preterm delivery and low birth weight.
Furthermore, patients with active tooth decay risk abscesses and tooth pain, which raises blood pressure and places the patient at an unnecessary risk of preeclampsia. Finally, untreated tooth decay in mothers leads to an increased risk of tooth decay in her child as she is more likely to pass along the cavity-forming bacteria.
Be sure to keep up with your preventive dental cleanings and evaluations.
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, make sure to keep on your twice-yearly dental cleaning schedule and seek out advice from your dental team. Both your dental hygienist and dentist can be a wealth of knowledge that can guide your mouth through a healthy pregnancy!
Written by Dr. Christopher King
Dr. King has been leading King Dental since 2000. In the 20-plus years since opening King Dental, his experiences have only strengthened his excitement for his chosen career. Dentistry is Dr. King’s life’s mission.