DENTAL CARE DURING PREGNANCY

Q: Should pregnant women avoid the dentist until after delivery?

A: The best thing a pregnant woman can do for both her and her baby is to continue regular dental visits. For one thing, bacterial infection in the gum could affect the placenta, the organ that links the fetus with the mother’s uterus. There has been some concern over the years about a link between periodontal infection—gum disease—and pre-term, low-birth-weight babies.

Pregnancy is a joyous time. Let your dentist know about your pregnancy at the first opportunity. A woman’s body functions change significantly during pregnancy. Fluctuation in estrogen and progesterone levels and other hormonal changes can affect the body’s response to the bacteria, mentioned above, that cause gum infection. So, the need for dental care during pregnancy actually increases. Knowledge of your condition will also affect the decisions the dentist makes regarding the use of certain sedatives, like nitrous oxide, and prescriptions he or she may recommend.

At some point during a nine-month period, you will be due for one of your six-month visits to the dentist. And as your obstetrician or general physician would tell any mother-to-be, the best way to keep an in-utero baby healthy is to keep mom healthy.

If you, your family or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice.  Refer someone you love to someone you trust!

Presented as a service to the community by Doctors Hoover and Yanda, 39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236.  330-650-0360.   www.drshooverandyanda.com