Great Oral Health Contributes to a Healthy Pregnancy

Great Oral Health Contributes to a Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time. It’s also a time when there is a lot to think about and to do.  After all, there’s designing the nursery, selecting baby clothes, and choosing your new baby’s name. While all of these things are at the forefront of your mind, our team at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania wants to remind you of how great oral health contributes to a healthy pregnancy.

 

Taking care of your gums and teeth when you are pregnant is important. During pregnancy, heightened hormonal changes can increase your risk of developing periodontal disease, and may even increase your risk of pre-term labor.  We want to emphasize the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene during your pregnancy by brushing and flossing regularly. With excellent oral health care, you can contribute to a healthy pregnancy.

 

We know that you’ll be having many ob/gyn appointments during your pregnancy, but don’t miss your regular dental checkups during this time. Dental procedures can be done during pregnancy, but they need to be scheduled appropriately, usually in the second trimester. 

Alcohol's Effect on Your Oral Health

 

Many alcoholic drinks, including beer, contain sugar that can damage your tooth enamel.  Wines, margaritas, daiquiris, and other mixed drinks containing citrus juices or soda are even worse.  The high acidity and overly abundant sugar content can increase your risk of tooth decay.

 

Alcohol, by its very nature, is dehydrating.  It dehydrates your body and reduces the amount of saliva in your mouth.  This can both damage and soften your enamel.  In addition to physical problems and addiction tendencies, excessive alcohol consumption can cause a host of dental troubles, including gum deterioration, cavities, and even tooth loss over time.

 

If you are going to drink (and not excessively, we hope), there are a few things that we at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania advise you to do in order to lessen the damaging nature of alcohol’s effect on your health.

• Brush and floss every night before going to bed -- especially if you’ve been consuming alcohol.
• Leave your toothbrush and floss out if you plan to go out and drink as a reminder to brush and floss before turning in.
• ·Swish water in your mouth while drinking alcohol to rinse sugar and acids away and add moisture to your mouth.
• Chew sugarless gum between drinks and after drinking.

While all of these tips won’t completely eliminate alcohol’s damaging effects on oral health, it can help to lessen the detrimental effects.