The hormone level in the body of women during pregnancy and postpartum changes greatly, especially the rapid rise of progesterone levels, resulting in the ability to tolerate various hair hormones under normal circumstances, and the decline of resistance during pregnancy can easily lead to periodontal diseases such as gingival congestion, vascular hyperplasia, and tooth flesh thinning.
In addition, coupled with changes in dietary habits and physical conditions, it is easy to neglect oral hygiene, resulting in the production or aggravation of dental caries, and serious pulpitis.
During pregnancy, a woman's hormone levels change greatly, especially the increase in progesterone levels, which leads to a decrease in resistance and a predisposition to periodontal diseases such as gum congestion, blood vessel growth, and thinning of the tooth flesh.
In addition, due to changes in dietary habits and physical conditions during pregnancy, oral hygiene may be neglected, resulting in the production or aggravation of dental caries and severe pulpitis.
What are the dental diseases that pregnant women are prone to?
1] Gingivitis during pregnancy.
The gums are the target organs of sex hormones, and the level of progesterone rises with the increase of gestational age, and the responsiveness of the gums to microbial stimulation is enhanced, which makes the gums congested and swollen, the color becomes red, and it is easy to bleed when brushing teeth.
2] Periodontitis.
Periodontitis is mainly a chronic inflammation of the periodontal support tissue caused by local factors (tartar, plaque, etc.) of the gums.
Because gingivitis is not timely**, inflammation can spread from the gums to the deep layers of the periodontal ligament, leading to alveolar bone resorption and developing periodontitis.
Progesterone levels increase after pregnancy, leading to an increase in chronic inflammation of the pregnant woman's gums, which can lead to periodontal inflammation.
If you have periodontitis before pregnancy and do not pay attention to your diet and oral hygiene maintenance during pregnancy, it will lead to aggravation of the condition, causing bleeding and pain in the gums.
3] Tooth decay. During pregnancy, you like to eat sweet and sour food, and the frequency of eating increases, dietary habits change, accompanied by the symptoms of morning sickness and acid reflux, if you do not pay attention to oral hygiene, it is easy to produce tooth decay.
When tooth decay reaches a certain level and affects the dental nerve, there will be hot and cold stimulation pain or spontaneous pain, which will worsen when sleeping at night, which is commonly known as pulpitis.
4] Wisdom tooth pericoronitis.
Wisdom teeth often cause inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues due to their failure to erupt normally, and wisdom teeth are positioned backwards, making it difficult to clean them in place, while expectant mothers have poor oral hygiene due to various reasons, and the incidence is higher.
In mild cases, the gums are swollen and painful, which are aggravated when chewing and swallowing, and in severe cases, the facial swelling, mouth opening is limited or feverish, which not only affects eating and living, but also makes the expectant mother anxious, which is not conducive to the growth of the fetus.
5] Loose teeth.
Human teeth have a certain physiological mobility, and the root of the tooth is firmly established in the alveolar fossa by the periodontal ligament connected to the surrounding alveolar bone.
During pregnancy, due to the increase in progesterone and estrogen levels, the stability of the periodontal tissues (periodontal ligament and alveolar bone) is affected, and the physiological mobility of the teeth is increased, which is why some expectant mothers feel "tooth looseness" at some point during pregnancy.
If the tissues around the teeth were healthy before pregnancy, this phenomenon will naturally disappear after delivery.
Possible risks of dental disease during pregnancy and childbirth
Toothache in pregnant women will affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and indirectly affect the growth and development of the fetus. Toxins produced by bacteria in the mouth may enter the bloodstream and pass through the placenta to affect the normal development of the fetus, and there is even a risk of malformation or miscarriage.
Expectant mothers with periodontitis are 5 to 7 times more likely to be born preterm than normal mothers-to-be, and have 15 to 30 percent higher birth weight or perinatal mortality rates than normal.
Traumatic teeth, such as tooth extractions, can produce pain and other stimuli during the process, which are prone to induce miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy and premature birth in the third trimester.
If dental disease is not timely** after childbirth, periodontal bacteria can be transmitted through saliva, and it is easy to transmit bacteria to babies through intimate actions such as feeding and kissing.
When should pregnant mothers have oral problems
Many pregnant women are reluctant to go to the dentist during pregnancy and breastfeeding, fearing the impact on the fetus or breastfeeding. But when the situation is so severe that the face is swollen and the fever has to go to **, it will bring more trouble and may have an impact on the baby. In fact, local anesthetics commonly used in dentistry** do not have any effect on the fetus or baby.
In general, the best time to get teeth** done in the second trimester is to do it. The first trimester is more sensitive, and the third trimester should not be stimulated to prevent preterm birth. Therefore, it is necessary to be extremely cautious during these two periods. The first and third trimesters can be performed with the simplest and most conservative** to relieve pain.
When performing dental procedures, it is important to inform your dentist that you are pregnant or breastfeeding so that your dentist can develop a plan based on your situation.
How can pregnant mothers ensure oral hygiene?
1] Practice good oral hygiene.
Habits such as brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, using a soft-bristled toothbrush, rinsing your mouth after meals, and using tools such as dental floss to help clean your mouth if necessary.
2] Healthy and light diet.
For example, to eat more crude fiber foods, Xiyuehui recommends eating easy-to-digest foods as much as possible, and reducing and abstaining from spicy, irritating, high-fat, and high-calorie foods.
3] Regular oral check-ups during pregnancy.
Check it every 3 months, if you feel that you have oral diseases, you should see a doctor at any time, deal with it in time, and use drugs under the guidance of a doctor.