When you are expecting, you may think you just need to continue doing what you’ve always done for your oral health. However, then you realize you also have your baby’s developing smile to consider. Then, of course, someone mentions to you that pregnancy really took a toll on her gum health and you realize you might need just a bit of guidance regarding safeguarding your smile throughout these exciting nine months. Review your current level of knowledge with a quiz (and then, schedule a visit with us, so we can answer additional questions).

Quiz Questions: True or False?

1. True or False: If you are pregnant, we suggest that you stop coming in for your dental visits until after you have had the baby.
2. True or False: There’s not much that you can do about your baby’s oral health before you go into labor. As a result, we suggest you simply wait until your child is around one year of age to start thinking about this.
3. True or False: Pregnancy generally has no noticeable effect on your smile, so it’s not essential that you give us a head’s up or that you monitor or maintain your smile any differently.

Quiz Answers

1. False. Actually, it’s still just as important (if not more important) as ever that you are committed to your dental hygiene and to your visits with our practice two times a year.
2. False. Protecting your baby’s oral health begins while you are pregnant. Consuming foods rich in calcium is beneficial for strong teeth (and bones). We will also provide you with essential instructions for keeping baby’s gums (and then teeth and gums) clean once your bundle of joy has arrived.
3. False. When you are expecting, your hormone levels change. This change can result in periodontal changes, which means the chance of gum inflammation and disease increases. Keeping up with care (and telling us you are expecting) will allow us to seek out, detect, and address any issue the moment it occurs.