Pregnancy is a wonderful yet stressful time for any woman. While shopping for baby clothes and decorating a nursery are exciting, periodic medical checkups highlight the serious side of pregnancy.

1. Glenlake Dental Care
946 Harlem Avenue, Glenview IL, 60025
(847) 892-4696
The Importance of
Visiting the Dentist
During Pregnancy

2. Pregnancy is a wonderful yet stressful time for any woman. While shopping for baby
clothes and decorating a nursery are exciting, periodic medical checkups highlight the
serious side of pregnancy.
It’s exciting to visit the OB/GYN for prenatal ultrasounds. It’s also mandatory to
schedule regular checkups to know how a pregnant woman’s body is holding up and how
the baby is. The series of medical checkups, however, should not be the cause of the
neglect of dental checkups.
Oral Problems Caused by Pregnancy Cravings
Pregnancy cravings are inevitable — from the perfectly normal ice cream to the
extremely unusual pop rocks with a lemon slice. Those around pregnant women would
learn that it’s probably for the best that such cravings are satisfied.
The oftentimes sweet or acidic food consumed could trigger cavities, plaque, and other
oral bacteria, though. Therefore, the satisfaction of cravings should be balanced out by a
dental checkup.

3. Other Complications Caused by Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a likely cause of sore, swollen, and bleeding gums as well. Pregnancy
tumors — painless bumps in the gums — are also a possibility.
Delta Dental of Illinois conducted the 2016 Children’s Oral Health Survey, which reveals
that only 59% of women visit the dentist during pregnancy. Dentists encourage
pregnant women to visit more because they can address and give solutions to
pregnancy gingivitis as well as possible tooth enamel dissolution caused by morning
sickness.

4. Sources:
 http://www.glenlakedentalcare.com/
 http://www.idph.state.il.us/HealthWellness/oralhlth/oraldentalpreg.htm
 http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/barrington/community/chi-ugc-article-
why-you-cant-neglect-dental-care-during-preg-2016-05-31-story.html
How to Improve Oral Health During Pregnancy
Aside from scheduling visits to the local dental practice, pregnant women must
remember to brush and floss regularly. The observance of oral hygiene balances out
the cravings controlled by pregnancy hormones as well as the acids from morning
sickness.
Just like how the body experiences changes during pregnancy, the teeth also do.
Routine cleaning and examination are best done during the first trimester, while other
dental work is usually safe during the second trimester.