Did you know that if you are pregnant and have gum disease you are three times more likely to give birth prematurely?
Hormonal changes can mean your gums are more susceptible to disease at this time, so if you notice that your gums are bleeding it’s important to get them checked out.
The issue is that oral bacteria can easily get into the bloodstream through untreated gum disease – and almost everyone has a little gum disease at some point in their lives. But once the bacteria is in the bloodstream it can reach the baby. It can even result in a stillbirth.
If you think about just how much we have to brush our teeth to prevent all that bacterial build up (which causes infection and damages our teeth) and remember how a woman’s immune system is slightly more vulnerable during pregnancy, it’s not surprising that oral health is a vitally important issue for expectant mothers.
But it can be difficult to get right. Some mums-to-be find that brushing their teeth makes them feel sick – as if the daily morning sickness wasn’t enough!
Nonetheless, the main advice is still to brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes, try to cut down on sugary foods and drinks and visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend. Remember, dental treatment on the NHS is free to pregnant women and for up to one year after the birth.
And there are organic, nature-based and vegan oral brands out there.
Looking after your teeth is good for your baby
One oral health support that’s becoming popular is Peri-Gum mouthwash. It is based on seven herbs and essential oils known to improve your gums and has been clinically proven to be effective in reducing gum disease. At just a few drops per gargle this is a powerful herbal solution.
Also, Eco-Dent offer a full range of natural oral care products. But, if you are pregnant, you need to be careful of the extra vitamin A found in their Dental Gum and also in other products like Dentaplex (a nutrient supplement for oral health). These are very good at naturally boosting oral care but should not be used during pregnancy without medical advice.
Surprisingly Cranberry juice has also been found to protect your teeth. It gives your teeth a teflon like shield against bacteria.
As long as it is unsweetened, Cranberry drink brands like Biona and Rabenhorst can be enjoyed at mealtimes. But here there is caution again, dentists advise that only drinking cranberry juice at mealtimes is best because cranberries are acidic too and overdoing it would effect your teeth’s enamel.
