Pregnancy and Oral Health

Dr Taruna KapoorDental Care is safe & essential during pregnancy. Pregnancy is not a reason to defer routine dental care or treatment. Diganostic measures including needed dental X-ray can be undertakes safely but to some extent. Sealing & root planning to control to contrd periodental disease can be undertaken safely; avoid using metranidazole in the first trimester. Pregnancy associated gingivitis is the common problem during this period.
Pregnancy attendates gingival response to plaque and modify resultant clinical picture. Severity of gingivitis (inflammation of gums) increases in the biginning of pregnancy i.e 2nd & 3rd month & decreases during 9th month. Plaque follows the same pattern. Apart from gingivitin, tooth mobility, pocket depth & GCF (gingival cellular fluid) also increases, Inflammed gingiva is painless unless complicated by acute infection.
Features :-
* Pronounced ease of bleeding.
* Colour of gums (gingiva) varies from bright red to bluish red.
* Gums becomes edematou (swollen), pits on pressure, become smooth & shiny, soft & fuiable sometimes present a “RASPBERRY’ like appearance.
Micuobial findings –
* The only microouganism that increase in Prevotella Intermedia’
* Subgingival flara changes to aerobic one as pregnancy progresses
* This increase is associated with elevation in systemic level of estradiob & pregesteeon.
Proposed causes of Pregnancy gingivitis
* Increased hnormonal changes mainly progestion level.
Causes ditation and torosity of gingival vasculature i.e circulatory stain.
favouring fluid lkeage into perviascujlar tissue
* Depression in maternal T-lymphocytes.
* Atteration in microorganius i.e Prenotilla intermedia.
* In short, Pregnancy, places the women in immunocompromised stage so the clinician must be awawe of total health.
Gestation diabetes, leukenia, hypertension etc may be seen during this period.
Advice to Pregnant Women :-
* Maintain oral hygiene
* Develop a proper brushing habit with proper technique may avoid there problems (dental problems)
* Limit surgery food & drinks
* Brush twice daily with a fluoridated tooth paste.
* Use dental flass & visit dental clinic twice a year.
* Try to avoid dental treatment during Ist & last half of 3rd trimeter
* Avoid using high alcohol content antimicrobial mouth wash.
* Pregnant women with severe vomiting (hyperamas) are gasture reflush which cause damage to teeth should or can rinse with teaspoon of  baking sod a in a cup of water after vomiting.
Note : Take medications that are to be prescribed by your clinician or dentist.

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