Keeping momma's teeth clean

Since April is National Oral Health Month, we thought we should discuss dental care during pregnancy. Did you know that the oral health of expectant mothers may be connected to the health of her unborn baby?

How pregnancy affects teeth

Recently, we chatted to dentist Dr. Uche Odiatu about how pregnancy can affect your oral health. According to Odiatu, the hormones of pregnancy may lead to an increase in the amount of tartar and plaque. Pregnant moms may notice bleeding gums, bad breath, sensitive teeth, difficulty chewing and swollen gums.

Hormonal changes can lead to pregnancy gingivitis where there is an increase in inflammatory responses. The hyper inflammation results in more swelling and bleeding. It’s important to note that pregnant mothers who have gum disease are at risk of having a preterm birth and/or having a baby with a low birth weight.

What to do if gums bleed

If you have gums that are bleeding, you should continue flossing and brushing your teeth. Talk to your dentist if you are concerned. A dentist will most likely monitor an expectant mom who has gingivitis. Often, pregnancy gingivitis or bleeding gums go away after the pregnancy. In some serious cases, pregnancy gingivitis may progress into periodontitis, which is an advanced and irreversible form of gum disease.

How to help with dental care

During pregnancy, be sure to keep up with proper oral hygiene. That means regularly brushing and flossing teeth so that plaque can be removed. Floss your teeth before you brush them as well.
To help you maintain healthy gums and teeth, Odiatu recommends using a powered toothbrush like the Philips Sonicare toothbrushes. Using a Sonicare toothbrush helps reduce gum disease and is gentle on teeth and gums.

With 31,000 brush strokes per minute, the line of Sonicare toothbrushes are more efficient at cleaning teeth and removing nasty plaque than a regular toothbrush. When brushing your teeth with a standard toothbrush you may be able to brush well with the dominant hand but with the other, it’s not so great, Odiatu explains.

“A power toothbrush provides equal efficiencies on all sides of the mouth.”

Sometimes expectant moms who are dealing with morning sickness will find that brushing their teeth can cause them to vomit. Either it’s the taste of the toothpaste or simply a gagging reflex when brushing teeth. Odiatu says that Sonicare toothbrushes come with brushes in different sizes so the smaller brush will stay away from the tongue and the result is no gagging.

Another bonus of Sonicare is that there is a two-minute timer. According to Odiatu, the average adult brushes his or her teeth for 45 seconds. With the Sonicare timer, you become more mindful of your brushing.

This also comes in handy when the baby arrives. Tired moms (or dads) may let their dental care slide in exchange of sleep or taking care of the baby. Brushing teeth is easier when you have a power toothbrush, adds Odiatu.

Sonicare also removes everyday coffee and tea stains. So your teeth will be naturally whiter in 28 days or your money back.

Where to find it

Philips Sonicare power toothbrushes are available at London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw’s nationwide or online at www.sonicare.ca.

Dr. Odiatu also wrote a book called The Miracle of Health. For more information, visit www.amazon.ca.

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