Dental Health and Pregancy

Most pregnant women do not consider the state of their dental health as an important health issue.

Increasingly, evidence is coming out to show that poor dental health can have all sorts of negative effects on your pregnancy and the bacterial count of your baby.
A healthy mouth has a direct impact on a healthy body, a many people including doctors and dentist don't make the connection.

There is a clear link between gum infections during pregnancy and an increased risk of premature or underweight births, as well as heart attack, stroke, and other serious illness.

Fifty to seventy-five percent of pregnant women develop an acute infection in their mouths known as pregnancy gingivitis. If left untreated, this infection can lead to bone destruction and eventual tooth loss. It has also been linked to heart attack, strokes, respiratory problems, diabetes, ulcers, oral cancers and other serious systemic illnesses.

Hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, as well as changes in the pH of saliva, can cause the gum inflammation known as gingivitis and ultimately lead to more serious oral diseases. In one study, pregnant women were found to have more gum swelling, tenderness and bleeding than those who were postpartum. If they do not avoid sweets and practice good dental hygiene at this time, the opportunistic bacteria can begin a lifelong problem.