Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and floss once a day.
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles..
During pregnancy, women may be more prone to gum disease and cavities.
Pregnant women are more likely to develop gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease that occurs when the gums become red and swollen from inflammation that may be aggravated by changing hormones during pregnancy..
Preventive, diagnostic and restorative dental treatment is safe throughout pregnancy.
Local anesthetics with epinephrine (e.g., bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine) may be used during pregnancy..
Further, the American Dental Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) agree that emergency treatments, such as extractions, root canals or restorations can be safely performed during pregnancy and that delaying treatment may result in more complex problems..
It should also be kept in mind that neglecting oral and dental health during pregnancy does not only cause problems such as tooth decay and tooth loss, but may also lead to problems such as premature birth, low birth weight infant, and pre-eclampsia..
Local anesthetics such as novocaine or lidocaine are better to use than intravenous or inhaled products.
Avoid epinephrine, which is often added to local anesthetics to make them last longer.
Women who are given epinephrine run a higher risk of some minor birth defects.
If you have an infection, your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic.
Unless you are allergic to them, antibiotics from the penicillin and cephalosporin families are safe to take.
Erythromycin and metrronidazole are also safe to take.
However, tetracycline should be avoided since it can affect the teeth and bones of the fetus.
For many women, obstetrician–gynecologists are the most frequently accessed health care professional, which creates a unique opportunity to educate women throughout their lifespan, including:
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), there is no correlation between receiving amalgam Fillings during pregnancy and low birth weight.
This is a controversial topic and many people remain unconvinced that silver (mercury) amalgam fillings do not cause health, wait until after you deliver to have one performed.
Dental and obstetric teams can be influential in helping women initiate and maintain oral health care during pregnancy to improve lifelong oral hygiene habits and dietary behavior for women and their families.
For example, women with poor oral health may harbor high levels of Streptococcus mutans in their saliva.
Avoid non-steroidal pain medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Aleve) and asprin while you are pregnant.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is considered to be safe through most of your pregnancy.
Stronger pain medications such as codeine or Percodan may be used for less then a few weeks however, the fetus may be less active while you’re on the medication.Nar.
Obstetric providers should refer women for dental care in a timely manner with a written note or call, as would be the practice with referrals to any medical specialist.
Establishing relationships between prenatal care and oral health providers in the community facilitates a collaborative approach to women’s oral health needs 40.
A necessary tooth extraction or root canal during your pregnancy is safe.
If you have one done, use a local anesthetic if possible.
Unnecessary x-rays are discouraged for pregnant women.
However, if you must have an x-ray while you are pregnant, rest assured that the risk to your unborn baby is considered minimal, since your uterus is shielded by a lead apron and the amount of radiation that scatters during the x-ray and passes through part of your body not covered by the apron.
