Teeth Cleaning During Pregnancy

While your dental health plays an integral role in your general health, it is especially important during pregnancy. You are more prone to dental issues such as gum disease and increased tooth decay when you are pregnant. This is attributed to an increased surge in hormones, which make your gums more sensitive to irritants in plaque.

This increased sensitivity may result in inflammation and bleeding of gums. The first step in preventing these dental problems during your pregnancy is to uphold good oral hygiene. Speaking of oral hygiene, many women wonder if it is safe to have their teeth cleaned during pregnancy. Let’s examine that issue in detail.

Is it Safe to Have Your Teeth Cleaned during Pregnancy?

We’ve seen that pregnant women are vulnerable to gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). If left untreated, gingivitis may cause more serious gum disease and even tooth loss. Moreover, bacteria from a severe tooth infection might spread throughout your bloodstream and even to your baby.

You can minimize the risk of health of issues for you and your baby by maintaining good oral health. Fortunately, all forms of oral health care, including teeth cleaning, are safe throughout pregnancy. In fact, having a regular dental checkup and professional dental cleaning is essential during this period.

If you disregard any necessary treatment for dental health issues during pregnancy, you’ll be exposing your baby and yourself to serious risk. You should also continue brushing and flossing regularly, even if you are suffering from morning sickness.

You can ask your dentist to recommend a mild toothpaste if the one you’re using is too strong. It’s also advisable to rinse your mouth with water after vomiting. You don’t want the harmful acids to remain on your teeth and affect the enamel. 

It’s also important to schedule your dental appointments throughout the pregnancy period. This kind of planning helps to ensure you have a healthy mouth, which minimizes the risk or preterm birth or having a baby with low birth weight.

Is it Safe to Get Anesthesia for Deep Dental Cleaning During Pregnancy?

There are no proven adverse effects of local anesthesia on a pregnant woman or her unborn child. That means it is safe to get anesthesia during a deep dental cleaning. In fact, anesthetic is essential for deep dental cleaning as this procedure is used to get rid of plaque from under the gums, which can be somewhat uncomfortable.

If the anesthetic is laughing gas, however, special care is paramount. When used in low doses, laughing gas is completely safe, but excessive use can have detrimental effects.

It’s worth noting that X-rays are also harmless during pregnancy. They play an important role in diagnosing dental issues during this period. So, you don’t need to worry about being exposed to radiation. Besides the fact that dental X-ray has a low radiation level, your dentist will also cover your body with a lead apron to ensure your abdomen is protected from the radiation.

Other common dental procedures like a root canal, tooth extraction, and dental fillings are also safe according to the American Dental Association.

In Conclusion

It becomes crucial to take care of your dental health while you are pregnant. Hormonal surges that result from your pregnancy increase the risk of gum diseases, periodontal diseases, and other dental issues. These dental issues can, in turn, be transmitted to your baby and affect growth.

One of the effective ways to prevent these problems is by undergoing preventive dental cleanings and regular checkups during pregnancy. These procedures are not only safe but also essential for your health and that of your baby.