Take good care of your oral health before pregnancy to ensure a perfect pregnancy

Author: Xie Yan Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Reviewer: Wan Kuo, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

When it comes to pregnancy care, everyone will think that pregnant mothers should go to the obstetrics department for prenatal check-ups, but many people, including pregnant mothers, do not pay much attention to oral health. In fact, oral health during pregnancy is not only related to the health of the pregnant mother herself, but also closely related to the growth and development of the fetus, and even affects the dental health of the baby after birth.

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Xiaoli was in her 40s and had IVF. She finally got pregnant. Soon after she became pregnant, her wisdom teeth began to swell and ache. She thought she could bear it, so she didn't seek medical attention in time. As a result, when she was more than 5 months pregnant, her wisdom teeth became severely inflamed and the infection spread throughout her body, causing intrauterine infection. Xiaoli eventually miscarried. In fact, this heartbreaking thing can be completely avoided.

Let's first understand the characteristics of oral diseases. Most oral diseases (such as caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, wisdom tooth pericoronitis, etc.) occur insidiously, develop slowly, and are often ignored. Once you feel toothache, it means that the disease has continued to develop to a more serious degree. At this time, not only will you be in pain, the treatment effect is not ideal, and you will have to spend more money. Therefore, regular oral examinations are very important. Dentists will discover oral problems that we have not noticed yet and treat them early. If you feel discomfort in your teeth, you must see a doctor as soon as possible, don't delay.

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For pregnant mothers, if oral problems occur during pregnancy, it will cause a lot of harm. First of all, oral problems will affect the eating of pregnant mothers. If they last for a long time, they will cause malnutrition in pregnant mothers, which will affect the growth and development of the fetus; secondly, long-term tooth swelling and pain or oral discomfort will cause pregnant mothers to have psychological problems such as mental tension, anxiety, depression, etc. Severe pain and psychological fear may also cause miscarriage or premature birth. For the fetus, pregnant mothers with oral diseases are likely to cause the baby's birth weight to be below the standard. If the oral infection is serious and not treated in time, the disease will spread throughout the body, causing intrauterine infection and threatening the life of the fetus. Finally, if the oral disease of the pregnant mother is not treated in time, the harmful bacteria in the mouth will be transmitted to the baby during close contact with the baby after delivery, increasing the risk of the baby suffering from oral diseases in the future.

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In order to prevent serious oral diseases in pregnant mothers, oral health care before pregnancy is necessary. Good oral hygiene habits are the most effective measure to prevent oral diseases. Rinse your mouth after every meal to remove food residues in the mouth in time, and brush your teeth carefully every morning and evening, for no less than 3 minutes each time, to clean all surfaces of the teeth, and use dental floss correctly to clean the gaps between teeth. It is recommended to have a regular oral examination before pregnancy, which is very necessary! It can detect caries, periodontitis, gingivitis and other problems early, and those that should be filled should be filled, those that should be pulled out should be pulled out, and those that should be treated should be treated, so as to eliminate all hidden dangers and not get pregnant with oral diseases. Usually pay more attention to your oral condition. Once the teeth become black, the gums bleed, the teeth become sour, and the toothache occurs, timely treatment should be given. In addition, it is recommended to perform a regular teeth cleaning during the pregnancy preparation period to remove the dirt attached to the surface of the teeth and make the oral environment healthier.

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In short, oral diseases during pregnancy can be prevented, and oral care during pregnancy should start before pregnancy.