Carrying your LUCKY CHARM; Baby Bump Oral Health Report
Happy “Tooth-Day” & Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Greetings from me, Farah Flossit! I hope you are having a lucky day:)
If you are currently carrying your LUCKY CHARM, I have some very helpful & important information about your oral health during your pregnancy & how it directly impacts your baby. As an expecting mommy, you are already anticipating a lot of changes in your body & keeping your teeth & gums healthy & clean is probably the last thing you were thinking might be important in your baby’s health. Well, I am going to go over the changes you can expect with respect to your teeth & gums & how you can prevent passing on dental caries from you (mommy) to baby.
WHAT CHANGES CAN YOU EXPECT?
Physiologic changes during pregnancy may result in noticeable changes in the oral cavity. Some changes you may experience include pregnancy gingivitis, benign oral gingival lesions, tooth mobility, tooth erosion, dental caries, & periodontitis. An increased inflammatory response to dental plaque during pregnancy causes the gingivae to swell and bleed more easily in most women. Pregnancy gingivitis typically peaks during the third trimester. Women who have gingivitis before pregnancy are more prone to exacerbation during pregnancy. Ligaments & bone that support the teeth may also temporarily loosen during pregnancy, which results in increased tooth mobility. There is normally not any tooth loss unless other complications are present. Erosion of tooth enamel may be more common because of increased exposure to gastric acid from vomiting due to morning sickness or gastric reflux during late pregnancy. Pregnancy may also result in dental caries due to the increased acidity in the mouth, greater intake of sugary snacks & drinks (if you are having “cravings”), & decreased attention to prenatal oral health maintenance. I am reassuring you pregos that these changes to your gums & teeth during pregnancy are normal, but it leads me to reinforce the importance of up-keeping good oral health habits.
So, if you are still wondering why your oral health affects your baby, I’m about to share something most expecting moms never thought possible. There is something called VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL TRANSMISSION, which is what I’m trying to help all my mommy’s-to-be avoid with some helpful tips. VERTICAL TRANSMISSION happens from parent to child. The term refers to transmission of infection from one generation to the next by saliva, milk or through the placenta. So the healthier your mouth & gums are, the healthier your baby’s gums & teeth will be. If you get an infection in your gums, you may transfer that infection to your little one. Minimizing the number of cariogenic bacteria in pregnant mothers may prevent the onset of colonization of these bacteria in their infants. Once your baby is born, you need to also be concerned with HORIZONTAL TRANSMISSION. Examples of this is when parents clean pacifiers by putting them in their mouths before giving it back to the baby or sharing spoons. In a nut shell, mothers are the main source of transmission of dental caries to their children. The most common etiological factors in childhood caries are prolonged use of a bottle with high sugar containing milk, juice or liquid, & intake of high caries risk diet. Preventing caries in your little one starts even before their first tooth; it starts when you (mom) are pregnant!
Below is a visual chart for your Oral Health Care during & after pregnancy:
I look forward to chatting with you all next week!
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Your Friend,
Farah Flossit (Special Agent Flossit)
