Taking good care of your teeth and gums is important for all of us, but certainly so during pregnancy.
The CDC says good oral health during pregnancy and infancy is important to set children up for a lifetime of good health.
But not all expectant mothers get that information, says Dr. Penelope Drayer, Clinical Associate Professor and Interim Clinic Director of the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at Texas A&M College of Dentistry.
Drayer spoke about all this with KERA’s Sam Baker.
Dr. Drayer: Women, you know, when they go through their first and second trimester, their hormones are fluctuating. And so, it's very, very important for them to go ahead and consult their dentist because their gums are going to get swollen sometimes due to the changes of hormones. And so they will notice that their gums are a little bit more red.
Baker: So this causes inflammation?
Dr. Drayer: It does cause inflammation of the gums. At least 40 to 50, even sometimes 60%, of pregnancy will lead to something called pregnancy gingivitis. That is basically red swollen gums. When you floss, it's going to bleed. And so most women will notice that and they typically call their OBGYN or will call their dentist.
Baker: How specifically, though, does this affect the child's health, or does it?
Dr. Drayer: It doesn't really affect the child's health specifically, but we want all our pregnant women to go ahead and take care of their gums, because once the baby is born, then it affects the mother's health.
And then the mother can also transmit all those bacteria that they accumulate to their babies just by kissing them. The baby can get bad bacteria, and once they start having teeth, they can get cavities.
Baker: Are pregnant women talked to about maintaining good oral health as much as they should be?
Dr. Drayer: They're not. Most of them go to their OBGYN. Our OBGYN community is well versed with what they do, but their training in oral health is not as extensive.
And then some women don't visit the dentist routinely, so they don't hear what the dentist has to say about their oral health.
So, pregnant women should definitely have more education, but unfortunately that's not happening right now.
Baker: Is this even more of a problem maybe for low-income women?
Dr. Drayer: Absolutely, because they do not have the resources to go and see a dentist. They barely can see their primary care doctors. So, low-income women are at a disadvantage to go ahead and have any kind of oral health education.
And so, it's very important that the community understands that this is a very sad part of our story and that women cannot access to proper oral health care, especially when they're disadvantaged.
Baker: Besides the usual brushing and flossing, what other steps should expectant women take to maintain good oral health?
Dr. Drayer: Brushing and flossing, you know, routinely taking the time to do it correctly, especially during pregnancy.
Sometimes we recommend they see the dentist even more often. Instead of getting their cleanings every six months, maybe three months.
Using possibly a water pick that could help maintain oral hygiene.
Baker: Anything besides that?
Dr. Drayer: Diet is very important. Water is the most neutral thing that women can drink so that it doesn't create cavities in their teeth.
Pregnant women, you know, sometimes they get sick and they throw up, so their mouth gets very acidic just because of the morning sickness and so forth. So consuming water will help remove that acidic feeling in the mouth because a lot of women will have that on the first trimester.
Something that's really good in the diet is cheese. A lot of people don't know that, but actually consuming cheese is one of the most healthy ways to prevent decay.
Baker: Why cheese?
Dr. Drayer: It's just been known over the years that cheese is something that helps actually clear out some of the bacteria in your mouth. So if you think about it, sugar bad, but cheese good.
RESOURCES:
Talking to Pregnant Women about Oral Health
