Congratulations, you are having a baby, now we want you to love your mouth.
So much can change in your mouth during pregnancy. Hormones have a lot to answer for. Oh the morning sickness – yuck. Lucky you if you don’t experience it.
Before you reach for the toothbrush after vomiting - please don’t. The stomach acid has come back into your mouth and has given your teeth an acid bath. There is no way that your teeth want you to brush the acid into them. Rinse your mouth out with water and then wait for 45-60 minutes and then brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste. If you can’t stand the toothbrush in your mouth get the toothpaste in there any way you can. Use you finger and wipe it around your teeth, even use your tongue. Spit the excess out but do not wash it away with a rinse.
Hormones will make your gums bleed more than normal, keep brushing them twice a day with a small soft/sensitive toothbrush or electric toothbrush. If you don’t it will make your gums worse. There is such a thing as pregnancy gingivitis which can cause you to have problems with your gums during preganancy.
If you can not brush in the morning because you can not stand the thought of a toothbrush in your mouth try and brush later when you might feel better.
It is important to come in and have a thorough dental check up when you feel you can. If we do need to do treatment it is safe to do so during pregnancy.