Pregnancy is one of the unique incidents in a woman’s life that accompanies physiological and hormonal changes. This can include changes in respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal as well as changes in oral cavity, which increases the susceptibility to oral infections. This is why it is important to take care of your health including oral health.
This article discusses some tips that you need to follow during pregnancy.
1) Follow good oral hygiene practice to prevent oral problems
Good oral hygiene such as brushing twice a day or after every meal and flossing at least once a day can help you prevent many dental problems.
Brushing removes plaque (white sticky film) from the teeth and flossing removes tiny leftover food particles from between the teeth. Irregular brushing and flossing will let bacteria in the plaque react with left over food particles and form acid. This acid attacks the teeth. Since changes in oral health are common in pregnancy, you must take extra care.
2) Visiting the dentist regularly
Never skip your dental visits simply because you are pregnant. Regular visits to the dentists is the part of oral hygiene routine. Visiting the dentist regularly help in diagnosing dental problems if any and treating it in its early stage before it requires a complex procedure. Not only you will be diagnosed, but also you will be given guidelines for how to take care of your teeth and gums.
3) Eat tooth friendly diet
Including a plenty of food that is rich in proteins, calcium and vitamins will support your baby’s health and protect your teeth. See to it that you avoid too much of sugary and starchy food, which hastens tooth decay and gum problems.
4) Inform your dentist that you are pregnant
Dental procedures are avoided during first trimester and the second part of third trimester because these are the phases when your baby’s development is critical. This is why it is important for you to inform the dentist about your pregnancy as soon as you know about it. If required, treatment can be done in the second trimester. Meanwhile, pain can be subsided by taking some painkillers that are safe during pregnancy.
5) Tell your dentist about the medications you are taking
When you are at dentist’s office, tell him about the medications you are taking including the vitamins like folic acid. This is important because your dentist needs to alter the treatment plan based on this information.
Pregnancy does need not mean denying good oral hygiene, instead you should take extra care in order to make sure that both you and your unborn enjoy optimal health.
Getting exercise is essential to staying healthy while pregnant. Light to moderate exercise, that does not overly stress your body, can help you have a shorter labor and lose your baby weight quickly after delivery.