Fort Worth Dentist Dental health and Pregnancy

In developed societies we find that people are well aware of healthy living habits and general awareness of health related issues is very high.Sufficient information is made available by various institutions and companies regarding HIV, Diabetes, Cancer, Heart Attacks and many more maladies.

One thing that is noticeable is that there is not enough talk going on about Dental health. The way to improve the oral hygiene and better dental health of the masses would be through increasing the awareness regarding dental hygiene and advising on oral hygiene tips through the media. We do not come across much written in the media except for toothpaste advertisements and sometimes pictures of braces etc.

Oral hygiene should be the priority for everyone, both young and old. Maintaining oral hygiene is especially important in times of pregnancy. Teeth are affected during pregnancy and tend to develop gaps post delivery. Pregnancy gingivitis is a common condition caused by pregnancy related affects on periodontal tissues. The other changes occur in oral flora as well as tooth surface loss and tooth mobility during pregnancy.

While we all know that Gingivitis is an inflammatory condition of gums caused due to the formation of plaque on the teeth surface, researchers have found that the inflammatory response to the dental plaque is increased during pregnancy. As a result the gums tend to swell easily, become tender and bleed very easily on brushing. It has been found that over ten percent of pregnant women tend to develop this problem. The entire inflammation cycle starts in the second month of pregnancy, increases rapidly and peaks around eight month to reduce in the ninth month. Researchers believe that this form of gingivitis is not caused due to dental plaque.It is said to have been caused due to the effect of pregnancy on the gingival tissues where estrogen and progesterone receptors exist. They believe that pregnancy affects the gingival tissues where estrogen and progesterone receptors are present. Medical research has also indicated that the changes in immune system as well as the connective tissue metabolism add added factors that contribute to this condition.

During pregnancy as well as post pregnancy as long as the mother is feeding the baby, it is better to take preventive care to avoid any infection that would call for antibiotics as it can affect the mother as well as the child too. Especially during pregnancy the mother to be should ensure she maintains good oral hygiene by brushing twice daily with soft toothbrush using fluoride tooth paste and do not allow plaque formation. Use dental floss daily to remove the left over food particles stuck between the teeth. Should you find that you are not able to remove the accumulated dental plaque, and then the dentist should be approached so that he would be able to remove the plaque and help you avoid infection?

Pregnant mothers should always be aware of and follow preventive health guides and take action to avoid any dental infections and problems. It is always better to keep dental infections as well as antibiotics treatments away in such conditions. Your Dentist would be the right person to guide you professionally on your dental health during pregnancy.