Special care from the dentist for pregnant patients

Visiting the dentist is vitally important during pregnancy. Harley Street Dental Clinic offers special care for pregnant patients, as well as for baby when his or her teeth start to emerge.

pregnant-womenWith all the excitement of pregnancy, it can be easy to forget about your dentist. With antenatal classes, baby showers, nurseries to paint and strange cravings to deal with, your teeth and gums could well be the last thing on your mind.

However, it is more important than ever to visit the dentist during pregnancy, because there are a range of dental health conditions that can specifically affect pregnant women, with many being caused because of the hormonal changes that occur in your body when you are expecting.

The vast majority of these conditions are temporary and nothing to worry about, but a timely visit to your Harley Street dentist can help to put your mind at rest, and to treat anything that is causing you concern or discomfort so that you can get back to focussing on preparations for your little one’s arrival.

Dental health concerns during pregnancy

Gum disease

Gum disease is common amongst the general population, but is more prevalent in pregnant patients. Often known was “pregnancy gingivitis”, the condition develops because of vastly increased levels of the hormone progesterone in your blood stream during pregnancy. This alters the body’s response to toxins, which includes dental plaque.

It can be alarming to develop the symptoms of gum disease – such as swollen, red gums or gums that bleed when you brush your teeth – because many studies have linked severe periodontal disease in mothers to premature labour and low birth weight in babies.

There is no need to panic, however. These problems only occur when severe gum disease is left untreated. Regular visits to your Harley Street dentist will help to treat and manage the condition.

Acid erosion

If you suffer from severe morning sickness, you may experience acid erosion of your teeth. This is similar to cases seen with patients suffering from bulimia – repeated vomiting causes tooth enamel to be worn down by stomach acids. Again, regular visits to your Harley Street dentist will help.