{"id":108,"date":"2024-07-01T19:28:36","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T19:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsmilesonlincoln.com\/blog\/?p=108"},"modified":"2024-07-02T19:30:08","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T19:30:08","slug":"the-importance-of-oral-health-during-pregnancy-and-how-it-affects-your-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsmilesonlincoln.com\/blog\/?p=108","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Oral Health During Pregnancy and How It Affects Your Baby"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pregnancy is a milestone filled with excitement and anticipation, but also an array of additional health considerations. Among these is dental health<\/a>, and unfortunately, it often gets overshadowed by more obvious aspects of prenatal care. However, keeping your mouth in great shape during pregnancy can do your little one quite a lot of good! Continue reading to learn a little more about how oral health during pregnancy can affect your developing child and why it\u2019s paramount to practice diligent hygiene during these special, life-changing months!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Some Dental Problems Can Affect a Developing Baby<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dental problems have the potential to affect more than just your mouth; it\u2019s well-known that untreated issues involving the teeth and gums can lead to systematic problems that distress other parts of the body. However, it becomes even more complicated when affecting pregnant patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pregnancy itself doesn\u2019t cause poor oral health or damage to the teeth; rather, it\u2019s the changes in one\u2019s lifestyle, habits, and bodily processes that may increase the risk of dental problems during pregnancy. For example, hormone changes and the vomiting associated with morning sickness can affect the teeth and gums, as can snacking or giving in to various unhealthy cravings combined with lapses in diligent oral hygiene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is untreated gum disease that poses one of the largest threats. Research has found a link between severe gum disease in pregnant women and premature birth rates with associated low birth weights. The bacteria from the mother can make its way through the bloodstream and into the uterus. Babies who are born prematurely can have a risk of brain injury, problems with their eyesight and hearing, and other types of debilitating issues. Of course, these bacteria can also cause problems for mothers; gum disease has also been linked to cardiovascular illness and diabetes, among other concerns.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re Now Brushing & Flossing for Two<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line is that you\u2019re far less likely to have dental troubles during pregnancy if you look carefully after your teeth and gums before you\u2019re pregnant, as well as during your pregnancy. And fewer dental problems mean fewer potential complications for your newborn, which is a top priority. Here are some easy-to-follow tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n