If you have discovered that you are expecting a child then there are many changes to your body that take effect over the course of your pregnancy and in the weeks and months following the birth.

Understanding these changes is a key factor in terms of managing them, and not many women are aware that during pregnancy their teeth undergo changes too.

What happens to teeth during pregnancy?

In a nutshell, as part of the complex hormonal changes your body is experiencing, women may find that….

• Their gums start to bleed
• They experience a greater build up of plaque than usual
• They may suffer with more sensitive gums or ‘gingivitus’ (red, swollen, tender gums)

Generally speaking, most of the changes are manageable as part of a slightly modified dental routine (for example brushing more gently if your gums are bleeding, visiting the dentist more regularly if you suspect you have a build up of plaque that brushing isn’t tackling effectively), however if you have any concerns you should arrange to see your dentist to get an expert opinion.

Many mums-to-be don’t realise that they are also entitled to some help with dentistry while pregnant.

Dental care for pregnant women

It is important that you have regular dental check-ups throughout your pregnancy, to ensure that none of these changes to your dental health get out of hand and to help you get the most from your dental hygiene routine. Your dentist should be able to offer tips on effective tooth brushing as well as which products are best to use during pregnancy.

Here at CK Dental Practice in Bristol we look forward to helping expectant mothers care for their teeth during and after pregnancy. We are also here to offer help for infant dental care too, once your little ones have arrived and you are looking for advice for how best to care for their teeth and gums.

Gum disease isn’t pleasant and it can result in some rather unfortunate side effects too. If you have ever suffered from gum disease, or “gingivitis” (the medical name for this) then you’ll know that it can cause bleeding gums, red or inflamed gums, receding gums and also bad breath.

Help starts at home

With many illnesses and ailments, they say that ‘prevention is better than cure’ and that is definitely the case for gum disease. If you have a good dental hygiene routine then you will reduce the chance of getting gum disease by restricting the opportunity for bacteria to grow.

A good routine typically involves brushing your teeth at least twice a day (first thing in the morning and last thing at night – for ideally two minutes or more, each time).

Some people will also brush their teeth after lunch, so if you’re prone to oral hygiene issues then this might be something to consider too.

Flossing is also a good idea to ensure that food does not become trapped between the teeth, and if you’re a smoker, consider cutting back or (ideally) quitting, as this can also have a negative effect on your oral hygiene.

Consult the specialists

If you have noticed any of the symptoms of gum disease, and suspect that you may be suffering from it then the first thing to do is contact your dentist to obtain an expert assessment. Here at CK Dental Practice in Bristol, our dentists can assess your condition, talk to you about what may have caused the problem and recommend the most effective solution(s).

Although the symptoms may look and feel alarming, try not to feel too worried. Gum disease is common and can generally be very easily treated.

Other treatments are available

Good oral hygiene can fix many issues relating to gum disease, but sometimes you will require some more specialist treatment to alleviate the problem. For expert help in keeping teeth and gums at their cleanest, your dentist can perform a ‘scale and polish’, which removes plaque and tartar from your teeth.

If your gum disease is more serious, dentists can also consider ‘periodontal surgery’, which restores and regenerates the gums and in some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed to help fix a bacterial problem.

There’s a bewildering selection of toothpastes on offer nowadays, and the waters have been muddied somewhat by the rise of ‘sensitive’ toothpastes. Not necessarily by their claims to take the edge off pain, though: here at CK Dental in Bristol, we find them to be very effective.

However, not everyone knows if they actually need them or not.

Why do people suffer from sensitive teeth?

Tooth sensitivity is a very real symptom, especially when it comes to cold food and drink. The most common cause for this is gum recession, which exposes part of the root of the tooth. There are many reasons for gum recession: simple gum disease, aging, and – in certain instances – overbrushing. Or a combination of all three.

What ingredients are in sensitive toothpastes?

Almost all of the sensitive toothpastes on the market can be split into two categories.

The cheaper brands contain two strains of potassium – potassium nitrate and potassium citrate. These work by seeping into the nerve of teeth and preventing it from transmitting pain signals to the brain. The downside to these toothpastes is that they take a while to get to work, so expect to have to used them on a twice-daily basis for two weeks before they start to work.

The more expensive brands, on the other hand, contain ingredients such as strontium, argintine and calcium sodium phosphosilicate. These are a lot faster in taking the edge off, as they block the dentine tubules – the pores located
in the roots of teeth. There are other active ingredients, but they haven’t been clinically proven as yet.

And more often than you’d expect, they don’t contain fluoride, which is absolutely essential in fighting tooth decay.

Our advice: if you’re suffering from tooth sensitivity, come and talk to the team here at our Bristol dental practice as soon as possible, especially if the problem has recently flared up for the first time. We’ll be able to check the condition of your gums, see what’s causing the pain, and advise accordingly.

We see a lot of parents with very young children here at CK Dental in Bristol, and that’s a very good thing – it’s never too early to get your children into good dental habits.

But one thing we’re concerned about is how certain parents see milk teeth as a trial run, with little consequence as to what happens to them. And this recent news story bears our concerns out.

Why are milk teeth so important?

Deciduous teeth – the official term for milk teeth – form as early as the embryo stage, usually appear at the six-month stage, and are pretty much fully-formed by the time your child is two and a half.

It’s not usually until your child is six before the permanent teeth are ready to make an appearance, and it could be as late at the twelve-year period before milk teeth are completely replaced. So it’s vital
that while they’re there, they are treated with the same care and respect as our adult teeth.

In many cases, the general attitude towards milk teeth is that they’re disposable: they’re only here for a while, so why bother with them? Because the care of them is vital for the future of your child’s dental health, and if things go wrong early, it can magnify problems for adult teeth.

Space is not the place

The main problem with premature milk teeth loss is a condition known as ‘space loss’. When one tooth goes before its time, the adult tooth that’s getting ready to replace it will not get the space it needs when its time comes, leading to braces in the teenage years.

What’s more, severely decayed milk teeth can cause abscesses that cause pain in the short term and damage to the adult teeth before they even appear.

Want to get your kids into good dental habits? Here’s a good place to start.