Pregnancy and Dentistry is Discussed by Warren Dentist

Hi, I’m Dr. Greg Apsey here in Warren, Michigan, at 11270 13 Mile Road. I’d like to talk today about, pregnancy and dental health. A lot of pregnancies are planned. One of the preliminary things to do prior to getting pregnant would be to come in and have a dental exam. It would be nice to take care of any urgent dental needs prior to the pregnancy, the beginning of the pregnancy, so that you can avoid any emergency type care during the pregnancy. We recommend that you come in for a cleaning and checkup. Have any X-rays necessary and take care of any problems at that point.

We do recommend that you continue having regular dental care during your pregnancy. There will be some changes in the health of your gum tissues due to the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. And you really need to be having your teeth cleaned on a regular basis to help maintain healthy gum tissues. We also will want you to have any dental treatment that’s necessary, even during pregnancy. It is considered or safe to have dental treatment done. If you’re needing an X-ray, of course we generally minimize the number of X-rays we take during pregnancy, just because most people are more comfortable with that. But we do fully cover our patients with a lead shield and so that there’s no penetration of radiation into the, you know, where the baby is forming. And we also use digital X-rays so there’s minimal radiation but we do still recommend that you have x-rays taken and that you have any necessary dental treatment done.

We would also like to know who the physician is that you’re working with. And we will consult with your physician if there’s any complicated dental treatment that’s needed, or if any medications are needed, during your pregnancy. So we would be sure to use medications that your physician is comfortable with your using. There’s an old myth about pregnancy and the effects that it has on women and their teeth. And that the belief being that the baby sucks all the goodness out and that the mother ends up losing teeth and all sorts of, you know, myths like that. The baby does need calcium and other minerals in order to develop properly. The baby’s teeth begin developing at 6 months during into the pregnancy. Calcium is needed but if there’s not enough calcium in your diet, then maybe it will take that calcium from your bones. So, ideally, you should be taking your vitamins during pregnancy; your prenatal vitamins. And you should be eating a balanced diet. You should try to avoid sugary snacks between meals. Try to have healthy foods between meals. And the main thing we’re trying to do is to nourish your body well; such that all of the minerals and vitamins that are necessary for the developing fetus are in your system, and they are ready for your baby.

So don’t worry. That’s a treatment that’s fine during pregnancy. And in fact it’s best if your mouth is healthy by the time you deliver your baby, so that there’s no chance of passing on any sorts of dental disease to your baby. And we’re happy to take care of you here at our office in Warren.

Have a nice day.