Are you pregnant and nervous about dental treatment? Check out today's video and find out why Dr. Kuiper says "the second trimester is actually when we really encourage dental work to be done."
Let's talk about the connection between pregnancy and oral health! Pregnancy causes a number of changes in your body, hormonally and physically, and these things all have impacts on your mouth as well. Typically, we see that there is more inflammation and tooth sensitivity in the mouth when pregnant. These changes are correlated with the hormone changes and shifts that happen while pregnant. Good brushing and flossing will minimize some of the inflammation, bleeding, and soreness that you may experience. Some of those symptoms, however, will continue to persist. If something comes up such as a cavity or broken tooth, we typically try to avoid dental work during the first trimester. At this point, the baby is developing the central nervous systems, heart, lungs, etc. There are studies that show there is no harm in performing dental work at this time but we’d rather be safe than sorry! The second trimester is where we really encourage dental work to be done. That is the sweet spot since the baby is done developing the basic structures, they are just growing larger! We prefer to also avoid dental treatment in the third trimester, not because there is risk of causing harm to the baby, but simply because laying in a dental chair can be very uncomfortable (at a point where you’re already feeling uncomfortable)! We encourage you to come in during the second trimester, continue to receive routine dental cleanings and get necessary treatment done. We also understand that when a new baby arrives, the schedule of life is completely turned upside down! We don’t want any necessary dental treatment to get neglected. Once a baby comes, we have seen frequently where new mothers aren’t able to come in for 2-3 years and we see many problems pop up within that time period that could be prevented with regular checkups.
If you have questions, we’d love to help! Please give us a call if you would like to make an appointment before your baby comes!
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