When you discover that either yourself or your partner is pregnant, one of the last health professionals you will think of seeing is a dental practitioner!

And while you may have a lot of appointments to arrange with your doctor, midwife and nurse, it is important not to neglect your dental health during pregnancy. Not only can dental issues during pregnancy lead to issues with your own body, but studies have discovered that they can have negative impacts on your developing baby.

At Amsel and Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury has helped thousands of women cope with the changes that pregnancy can bring to their dental health. So, if you are looking for high-quality prenatal dental care, come to us!

But what are some of the most common conditions that pregnant women can experience with their oral health? Our dentist in Banbury answers below.

Pregnancy gingivitis

You have probably heard of gingivitis at one time or another; an inflammation of the gums caused by excessive plaque, which in turn can cause the gums to swell, bleed and be sore.

Well, during pregnancy, your body’s immune response is heightened, as it is working to protect your growing baby. And so, even a small amount of plaque left unchecked can cause pregnancy gingivitis to occur.

Luckily, it is easily resolved; our dentist in Banbury will be able to perform a scale and polish and will be able to offer you antibacterial mouthwash and toothpaste. These will all help keep the gingivitis at bay and will allow you to eat food without having sore gums.

Tooth decay

As your body is going to be busy helping your new baby to grow, you will probably experience a drop in calcium.

Inevitably, this will lead to your teeth becoming more fragile, weaker and more susceptible to injury and decay. And so, it should come as no surprise that many women experience a higher incidence of tooth decay during pregnancy than at any other time.

We will, of course, be on hand to provide fillings, crowns and root canals to you, along with fluoride sealants which will act as a protective shield between your teeth and any bacteria, lowering the chance of decay.

Acid erosion

During the first trimester of pregnancy, you will probably be suffering from morning sickness.

Mix this in with food cravings, and there is going to be a higher occurrence of acid in your mouth, which can lead to acid erosion of your teeth.

Acid erosion can play a key part in developing tooth decay and of course, it can lead to a higher incidence of cracks and chips and thus weaken the enamel.

For this, we may offer you fluoride sealants that will protect your teeth against acid, alongside acid neutralising mouthwash.

Pregnancy granulomas

And finally, we come to pregnancy granulomas; harmless growths that can occur on your gums during pregnancy due to an increase in the hormones progesterone and estrogen. These will typically resolve after your baby is born but, should you have a particularly large one that is causing issues with either eating or breathing, we will gladly be able to remove it for you in our clinic.