Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs

3 Things To Know About Gum Disease During Pregnancy

16 January 2015

Joe Lawrence

If you are considering having a child, you may also want to consider having a periodontal examination. Pregnancy can affect your body in many ways, and you may not even realize that it can have effects on your gums. Pregnant women are at a much higher risk for developing gingivitis, but you may be able to prevent this problem by taking the right steps.

Get a Periodontal Examination

A periodontist is a dentist that diagnoses and treats all types of gum disease. During an examination, the dentist will look at your teeth, gums, and bone structure. From this, he or she will be able to determine if you currently have gum disease and what your risk level is for developing it.

Getting this examination is very important for pregnant women, or women that are planning on becoming pregnant, because approximately half of pregnant women suffer from gingivitis.

Why This Happens

During pregnancy, your body will go through many types of hormonal changes. These changes cause you to feel different and to experience unusual emotions, but they can also cause health problems. One of these is gum disease.

Your chances of developing gum disease during pregnancy are higher if you have gum problems before pregnancy, but gingivitis can still occur even if your gums are normal before you get pregnant.

The main reason this occurs is because the hormonal changes cause your gums to handle the normal bacteria in your mouth in different ways than usual. The result of this is that the bacteria is more likely to turn into plaque during pregnancy, and plaque left on your teeth leads to gingivitis.

Ways To Prevent This

The best way to prevent this is to not only have a periodontal examination done before your pregnancy, but also to take good care of your teeth during your pregnancy. You can do this by:

• Visiting your dentist regularly – During your pregnancy, going to the dentist is still very important. In fact, it may be more important to seek dental cleaning during pregnancy than during times when you are not pregnant.
• Taking care of your teeth – Brushing and flossing are always good things to do for your teeth, especially when you are pregnant.
• Reducing sugary foods and drinks – Watching what you consume is also an important step in good oral health during pregnancy.

Gum disease is something that can be treated, but it is always better to prevent it than have to deal with treatment options. To learn more about this, contact a periodontist and set up an appointment. 

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