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See Your Dentist If You're Having a Baby
by Megan Martin
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Taking care of your teeth by flossing and brushing are very important. Research has found that pregnant women with poor dental hygiene have a higher risk of going into premature labor or having babies with low birth weights.
For many years, pregnant women were advised not to go to their dentists. Fear of unborn babies' exposure to X-rays also kept women away from dental visits. It's only been in the last few years that awareness has grown about the importance of dental care during pregnancy.
Research is now showing that treating tooth and gum disease can actually decrease the chance of preterm labor. Research also shows that inflammation and infection can cause preterm labor because the infection gets into the bloodstream of the fetus.
Any infection, whether it is respiratory, urinary or oral, in a pregnant woman can get into her bloodstream and spread to the unborn child, forcing the baby to try to fight off the infection. During pregnancy, hormonal changes can cause more bacteria to grow next to the teeth in the gum tissue - resulting in gingivitis. Gingivitis can rapidly progress down the sides of the teeth to extend into periodontal disease. Pregnancy can also exacerbate any preexisting gum problems, which predisposes pregnant mothers to periodontal disease.
Most experts agree that professional teeth cleanings and X-rays are safe for women during the last two trimesters of pregnancy. The American Dental Association also has lists of certain types of anesthetics and certain antibiotics that are safe for pregnant women.
Comments
lilboyblue |
Tue, May 30, 2006 7:17am
Can you say ouch! I too had tooth aches which lead to two back teeth being pulled. That pain had me in tears in the middle of the night. I guess that was the baby pulling all the calcium he could. |
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