Dental health (also called oral health) is the health of your mouth, teeth and gums. It’s an important part of your overall health. And if you’re pregnant, it’s an important part of your prenatal care. Being pregnant can increase your risk for oral health problems, and these problems can affect your pregnancy. Hormones change quite a bit during pregnancy, causing fatigue, mood changes, and even changes in oral health. If you experience sensitivity or bleeding, swollen gums during pregnancy, you could be experiencing what’s called, “pregnancy gingivitis.” A rapid increase in hormones estrogen and progesterone can increase the flow of blood to your gum tissue. Hormonal changes also have the ability to impact the way the body fights infection, too. Because of this, it’s crucial to maintain good daily oral health habits and dental visits during your pregnancy.

1. 1Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.

2. 2Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.

3. 3Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved. 3

4. 4Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved. 4
Confused?

5. 5Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.

6. 6Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.

7. 7Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.

8. 8Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.

9. 9Copyright © 2014 Well Woman Clinic. All rights reserved.