How to preserve teeth during pregnancy: treatment, cleaning and care

Pregnancy is a special wonderful moment in a woman's life. But it is during this period that the risk of diseases, especially dental ones, increases significantly. The reason for this is the restructuring of the body, changes in hormonal levels and metabolism, which significantly reduces the defenses. No less important is the change in the composition of saliva, since it contains substances that protect the enamel from caries. In pregnant women, the defensive properties of saliva are reduced, so the teeth are more susceptible to disease.

The main dental problems of expectant mothers

Weakened immunity creates excellent conditions for the development of pathogenic bacteria. And the restructuring of the hormonal background significantly contributes to this process. Several diseases often occur:

1. Dental calculus - hardened plaque on the surface of the teeth, arises from the layering of food debris, bacteria and calcium salts. Insufficient or improper oral hygiene, bad habits, use of low-quality toothpastes and brushes, frequent consumption of soft foods with staining properties. The main symptoms are pain while eating, tenderness, bleeding gums, and foul odor. A neglected disease can lead to tooth loss.
2. Caries - a slow-moving process that has a destructive effect on the hard tissues of the tooth. The main reason for the occurrence is a violation of the acid-base balance. Other factors also affect: genetic predisposition, poor or inadequate hygiene, unhealthy diet and the habit of eating at night. The disease is characterized by pain when eating and an unpleasant odor, can develop into pulpitis and periodontitis.
3. Gingivitis - inflammation of the mucous membranes of the gums caused by mechanical irritation, chemical and physical factors, changes metabolism, deficiency of vitamins and minerals, as well as inflammatory agents of various nature (viruses, microbes, fungus). Inflammation leads to uncomfortable sensations, bleeding gums and problems with proper cleaning of the oral cavity. The appearance is influenced by factors such as vitamin deficiency, insufficient hygiene, toxicosis, advanced caries and tartar.
4. Periodontitis - an inflammatory process in the soft periodontal tissues, leading to rupture of the alveolar processes. In the process of inflammation, the gum pockets are significantly enlarged, which leads to the mobility of the crowns. The end result is the loss of teeth. Initially, the cause of the disease can be an increase in the secretion of hormones - estrogen and progesterone, as well as an increase in the secretion of prostaglandins. The process is accompanied by aching pain, unpleasant odor, fever and enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes.

How and when to treat

If it was not possible to improve the health of the teeth before the beginning of gestation, this is not a reason to postpone the visit to the doctor until the postpartum period. Correctly selected method and time of treatment will help restore teeth and avoid further complications.

The most favorable terms for treatment and removal

Pregnancy is divided into three stages - trimesters, which have their own characteristics.

The first and third are considered critical and any medical intervention is highly undesirable. The exception is procedures that support the life and health of the mother and the unborn child.

The second trimester (14-20 weeks of pregnancy) is the most favorable time for dental procedures.

What procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women

When visiting the dentist, it is necessary to accurately name the timing of pregnancy, which will help the doctor determine a safe treatment method. It is worth postponing until the baby is born:

• prosthetics,
• teeth whitening,
• implantation implants,
• deletion wisdom teeth.

Removing wisdom teeth is very painful and causes an increase in body temperature. For a pregnant woman, this is a critical condition.

For anesthesia, local and general anesthesia, lidocaine, novocaine and arsenic cannot be used. Banned are drugs with a high content of adrenaline and its derivatives. The complete absence of adrenaline is also not desirable, since the anesthetic penetrates the body more strongly.

Specialists have mixed opinions about X-rays. General recommendations boil down to the use of this procedure only from the second trimester and in the minimum possible amount.

Optimal tartar cleaning

Removing plaque by mechanical and chemical methods is highly undesirable. An alternative is cleaning with special equipment and an ultrasonic brush:

• ultrasonic cleaning effectively removes plaque and tartar. It is carried out with a scaler - an instrument that emits ultrasound with a certain vibration amplitude and frequency;
• the ultrasonic brush is a good prophylaxis for removing plaque and preventing tartar formation.

How to prevent dental disease

A visit to the dentist should not be postponed, it is better to visit it even when planning a pregnancy. Timely treatment and prevention will help get rid of many problems in the future. A visit to a doctor is provided at the initial stage of pregnancy and is a mandatory procedure when registering.

Correct diet and diet

During pregnancy nutrition it is worth paying special attention. A balanced and correct approach will provide a positive effect on the entire body, in particular on the condition of the teeth. Doctors strongly recommend not to confuse the quantity of consumed products with their quality. You should not eat food with dubious benefits, give preference to nutritious and truly healthy foods. Cut back on sweets. They will not bring any benefit, but only add extra pounds and lead to the destruction of the enamel.

The appearance of caries is primarily influenced by easily digestible carbohydrates - fructose and sugar. Their excess in the blood lowers the level of saliva mineralization, which reduces resistance to the effects of microbes that cause caries.

The enamel is based on hydroxyopathide - a mineral, the amount of which constantly varies depending on the age and saturation of the body with calcium. If the level of calcium in a newborn is too high, the structure of the mineral will not be affected, and with a deficiency, destruction will be obvious. Passion for sweets during pregnancy will lead to a decrease in the mineralization of the child's teeth and their multiple lesions with caries with further growth of the disease.

In contrast, there are carbohydrates, consisting of glycogen and starch. They do not affect dental health as they are degraded in the small intestine to end products.

Perfect hygiene

It is recommended to brush your teeth after every meal. If this is not possible, you can use chewing gum. But do not forget that excessive use of gum leads to stomach problems.

The cleaning process should take at least three minutes. Sweeping movements, which will ensure the removal of plaque. Horizontal movements lead to the opposite effect - plaque clogs between the teeth. It will not be superfluous to rinse with plain water or herbal infusions after each meal. Hard-to-reach places need to be cleaned dental floss.

You can make sure how well your teeth are brushed in several simple ways:

1. After moistening cotton wool in iodine, run it over the teeth. If there is a plaque, the enamel will turn brown, if not, it will remain white.
2. You can also use a fuchsin tablet: if the staining is bright pink, cleaning should be carried out until the plaque is completely eliminated.

It is important for pregnant women to remember about oral hygiene products:

• choose a toothpaste with a high fluoride content;
• optimal brush - medium hardness;
• if bleeding from the gums, replace the brush with a soft one;
• do not use an electric brush.

Vitamin Supplements

To maintain the normal condition of the teeth, dentists prescribe vitamin supplementsintended for pregnant women. The most popular is the Materna complex. The vitamin-calcium complex "Upsavit" is no less famous; it is produced in the form of easily soluble tablets and is a rather tasty drink.

These include the drug "Gendavit", but due to the high content of vitamin D, doctors recommend take it with caution (an overabundance can lead to premature overgrowth of the fontanelle in babies).

Gum massage

The procedure serves as both a preventive measure and a curative one. It improves blood circulation in the gums and speeds up the healing process of the affected areas. The indications are diseases like periodontitis and gingivitis in the initial stage. And the presence of tartar, an acute inflammatory process of the mucous membrane and profuse bleeding are contraindications to such a procedure.

Massage can be carried out at home, but only after the exact recommendations of the dentist. The doctor will conduct a preliminary examination of the oral cavity and explain the most effective technique.

Timely visits to the dentist, adherence to recommendations and proper care will help maintain dental health in such a difficult period as pregnancy. You should not postpone dental problems until later - modern medicine is able to ensure the safety of the fetus and provide proper treatment for the expectant mother.