Looking after your teeth during pregnancy

During pregnancy, hormonal changes can make your gums more easily irritated and inflamed. If you develop red, puffy or tender gums that bleed when you brush, you’re experiencing an exaggerated response to plaque that builds up on your teeth.

Careful and gentle brushing and flossing will help prevent this.

It is important to care for your teeth and gums before pregnancy. There is a proven link between gum disease in pregnant women and premature birth with low birth weight, which can put your baby at risk of a number of health conditions. Research shows up to 18 out of every 100 premature births may be triggered by periodontal disease.

Brush your teeth and along the gum line twice a day with a small, soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.

Visit your dentist

It may be more comfortable for you to have any dental treatment before pregnancy. You may have morning sickness or become tired as your pregnancy progresses.

Now that you are pregnant

If you are pregnant or suspect that you are, it is important to tell your dental professional when you visit. During your pregnancy, ask your dental professional to check your gums and tell you how to care for them. Dentists and doctors are careful in prescribing medicines to pregnant woman. Some medicines such as tetracycline antibiotics can affect your baby’s developing teeth.

Morning sickness

You may get morning sickness or gastric reflux (heartburn). The stomach contents are acidic and can coat the teeth when you vomit. This acid can cause dental erosion and increase the risk of tooth decay by dissolving tooth enamel.

Don’t brush your teeth for at least 30 minutes after vomiting or reflux. This will give the enamel time to recover from the acid attack.
Do rinse your mouth with water after you vomit to help wash the acid away and smear some fluoride toothpaste on your teeth to refresh your mouth and help strengthen enamel.

Brushing is important

To avoid plaque build-up, thoroughly clean your teeth and gums twice a day. Brush in the morning after breakfast and last thing at night before going to sleep.

Some pregnant women find they gag while brushing their teeth. If brushing makes you feel sick try using a soft small-headed toothbrush designed for children and brush later in the morning when you may not gag as much. Concentrate on your breathing as you clean your back teeth.

Brushing without toothpaste may help. Then smear fluoride toothpaste over your teeth after brushing and don’t rinse it off. Return to brushing with fluoride toothpaste as soon as possible.

Fluoride

Fluoride strengthens the teeth and helps to prevent decay. Fluoride in toothpaste or water does not harm a developing baby. Some water sources such as tank water or some town water do not contain fluoride and supplementation may be needed. Talk to you pharmacist or doctor at your next visit.

Dental X-rays

If possible dental X-rays should be avoided during pregnancy. If your dental professional considers it essential for you to have an X-ray, special care and protection will be taken.

Cravings for certain foods

frequent sugary or acidic snacks and drinks (such as orange juice) increase the risk of tooth decay and erosion
choose a wide variety of snacks which are low in sugar, fat and salt, and high in fibre
drink tap water
rinse your mouth with tap water between meals.

For more information go to Food cravings.

Calcium

Calcium is very important for your baby’s teeth and bones. From four months your baby’s teeth and bones begin to calcify. The calcium and phosphorus needed comes from what you eat, and if necessary from your bones. These minerals do not come from your teeth. From seven months your baby needs even more calcium and phosphorous. These minerals are best obtained by you eating dairy foods.

Milk and milk products are excellent sources of calcium - choose those that are low in fat and sugar.
If you don’t drink milk or eat dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt, choose other products that are high in calcium (such as soy milk with added calcium). See your doctor or a dietitian for advice; they may recommend calcium tablets.
Check the packaging of any product you are having. Calcium will be one of the listed contents.
The recommended daily intake of calcium for a pregnant or breastfeeding woman over the age of 18 is 1,000mg. The recommended daily intake of calcium for teenagers who are pregnant or breastfeeding is between 1,000mg-1,300mg.

The following foods are high in calcium. Choosing four serves of these foods will provide the daily amount of calcium you need.

1 glass (250ml) reduced fat milk - 360mg calcium
1 tub (200g) non-fat or skim yoghurt - 360mg
3cm cube (30g) reduced fat cheese - 260mg
100g pink salmon with bones - 300mg
½ cup spinach - 100mg.

Passing decay-causing bacteria on to your baby

Babies are born with no decay-causing bacteria (germs) in their mouth. Everybody except newborns have varying levels of decay-causing bacteria in their mouth. The bacteria are passed from person to person.

Decay-causing bacteria are passed to the baby by their carers and family through, for example, using the same spoon when eating or by cleaning the dummy in their own mouth. A baby’s teeth are at risk from these bacteria from the time the teeth first appear.

Carers, especially mothers, can lower the amount of bacteria passed to their baby by keeping their own teeth and mouth healthy. Remember to brush your teeth after breakfast and before bedtime, floss regularly, choose healthy snacks, limit how often you eat sugary food, drink tap water and have a dental check-up.

It is important to have your own decay treated so you will have lower levels of bacteria in your mouth.

Is dental treatment during pregnancy safe?

Speak with your dental professional about whether you need treatment during your pregnancy. You may be more comfortable when lying back in the dental chair, with your right hip raised using a pillow or towel.