Why Good Dental Care Is Crucial During Pregnancy
The entire team here at Dental Associates of New England want to provide patients throughout the greater Boston area with great dental care focused on total wellness as well as smile aesthetics.
This emphasis on general health is especially important when it comes to women who are pregnant. As you're about to read, your dental health and general health are linked in more ways than you may be aware.
Does my dental health really have an impact on my general wellness?
Yes.
A number of different studies have shown that good dental health is a sign of good general wellness. In fact, gum disease in particular has been linked to a number of pregnancy and child birth issues, increasing the risk of premature birth and other serious complications. While gum disease does not cause these problems per se, it is a great illustration of how dental health and general wellness are linked.
Dental Care Needs Before Pregnancy
If you are actively planning on getting pregnant or trying to conceive, it's a good idea to meet with your dentist and general practitioner in order to have your overall wellness examined. Your dentist or doctor may recommend certain lifestyle changes or initiate major therapies that should be performed prior to pregnancy. This will improve your chances of becoming pregnant and also reduce the possibility of health issues affecting your pregnancy.
Dental Care Treatments During Pregnancy
During a woman's pregnancy, she should attend her routine dental checkups as schedule in order to undergo a cleaning and have her teeth and gums examined. She should let her dentist know about any fertility medications or nutritional supplements that are being taken in case those might affect dental health in some way. Any concerns about health or wellness can be brought up at this time as well.
Avoiding Dental X-rays and Major Therapies Until Later
While a woman is pregnant, we will take great care to avoid dental x-rays. Even though the level of radiation exposure from a dental x-ray is low, this precaution avoids any harm coming to the baby. Similarly, major dental care treatments will often be postponed until after a woman has given birth.
The only time x-rays or major dental treatments would be performed is in the case of dental health emergencies. Should those occur, all care will be taken to reduce radiation exposure and ensure the health of the child to the best of our ability.
Resuming Regular Dental Care After Pregnancy
Once a woman has given birth, regular dental work can resume as it did before. X-rays can be taken again, and any major dental work that was postponed can be done without worry.
When to Bring Your Baby to the Dentist for the First Time
As a general rule, it's best to bring your baby to the dentist for his or her first visit within six months of the emergence of your child's first baby tooth. This will allow your baby to have his or her dental health noted at an early age, and your dentist will be able to give you some basic tips on at-home pediatric dental care and oral hygiene.
Schedule a Consultation at Dental Associates of New England
If you would like to learn more about achieving excellent dental health and wellness, it's important that you contact our cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. We at Dental Associates of New England look forward to your visit and helping you achieve the best with regard to your overall dental health.