We care about your kiddos, but we also care about our parents too – especially mothers who are expecting a little one. Your body endures a lot of changes during pregnancy… your feet may swell, you may be sore in strange or new places, and your teeth may decay. It’s true, your teeth are not one of the more popular concerns during pregnancy but at our pediatric dental office in Long Island, we’re here to tell you that they should be.
Why is it so important to keep an eye on your teeth during pregnancy? One big reason is morning sickness. Morning sickness causes stomach acids to enter the mouth and if left there, the acid may erode enamel and lead to decay.
We wish we had a solution to end morning sickness for every pregnancy. But we do have some ways you can decrease the chance of it affecting your smile.
Rinse with water. Swish some water around in your mouth following a bout of morning sickness to remove some of the acid from your teeth.
Wait an hour. Wait at least an hour before brushing after you’re sick. Rinse with water in the meantime. Acid may weaken enamel, and brushing can scratch the enamel and lead to decay.
Keep drinking water. The more water you drink, the lower the acidity level in your mouth will be.
Smear on toothpaste. Putting a dollop of toothpaste on your finger and rubbing it on your teeth can further protect them against acid.
Use a tongue scraper. After vomiting, if you take a tongue scraper across your tongue, you can successfully remove some of the acid that may stick around on the tongue and then transfer to the teeth.
If you’re pregnant, it’s important that you see your general dentist regularly. If you don’t have a general dentist and are looking for someone you can trust, just ask us! And when it’s finally time to bring your little one to the dentist for their first checkup, we hope you’ll schedule a visit at our Long Island pediatric dental office. Let’s make sure you AND baby are happy and healthy!
