Dental Care Before, During and After Pregnancy
Pre-checklist
- Make sure your teeth and gums are healthy.
- Visit your dentist for a thorough checkup.
- Complete all necessary dental works before getting pregnant.
1st Trimester
- It is best to avoid dental works during the first trimester.
- Tell your dentist that you are pregnant.
- Change in hormones can cause inflammation of the gums or pregnancy gingivitis.
- Do not brush your teeth immediately after vomiting or morning sickness. Instead, rinse your mouth with water and use a fluoride mouth rinse.
- Use a toothbrush with a small head and use a bland toothpaste to prevent vomiting.
- Baby teeth begin to form three months into pregnancy. What you eat will affect your baby’s developing teeth.
2nd Trimester
- Dental procedures are safe during the 4th to 6th month.
- Avoid snacking on sugary foods even though you may be craving them.
- Maintain a balanced diet with plenty of Vitamin C, Vitamin B12 and calcium for healthy teeth.
- Due to hormonal changes, some pregnant women may experience pregnancy gum cysts.
3rd Trimester
- Avoid dental treatments: still advisable to attend dental examinations
- Continue good oral hygiene, brush your teeth twice daily and floss daily.
Nursing
- Soon after delivery, have a dental checkup.
- X-rays, local anesthetics and nitrous oxide are safe while breastfeeding.
- Wipe your baby’s gums after each breast feeding or bottle feeding.
- Use a smear of fluoridated toothpaste as soon as the baby’s first tooth erupts. Look for a toothpaste which says 500ppm (parts per million) of fluoride on the tube (less than 1000ppm)
Caring for your baby’s teeth
- Wipe your baby’s gums with damp cloth or wipes (found in pharmacies) after every breast feeding or bottle feeding.
- When the first tooth erupts, brush your child’s teeth with a smear amount of fluoride toothpaste at least two times a day.
- Early childhood caries are caused by drinks containing sugar like juices.
- Keep bottles and sippy cups out of the crib.
- Never put your baby to sleep with juice.