Pregnant women, as a special group, often neglect oral hygiene and health care because of the change in their life pattern during pregnancy, the increase in the number of times they eat, their love of snacks and their preference for sweet and sour foods. In addition, pregnant women are prone to gingivitis during pregnancy if they do not pay attention to oral hygiene due to endocrine changes. According to statistics, nearly 90% of pregnant women have oral problems and need further oral and dental treatment. Research shows that the oral health of pregnant women directly affects the oral health of infants and children, but also affects the health and development of the fetus, is a big problem that affects the physical health and oral health of a new generation of a nation.
1, pre-pregnancy oral examination, eliminate the hidden dangers of the oral cavity during pregnancy
Various latent oral diseases are prone to occur during pregnancy. Therefore, a comprehensive oral examination should be conducted before pregnancy to deal with oral problems in time and eliminate all oral hidden dangers.
(1) Filling of dental caries (filling): Early treatment of dental caries to avoid deepening of caries during pregnancy. For teeth already suffering from pulpal and periapical inflammation immediately do perfect pulpal and root canal treatment to avoid attack during pregnancy.
(2) Prevention of gingivitis and periodontal disease during pregnancy: ultrasonic scaling (commonly known as scaling) for existing gingivitis and systematic periodontal treatment for existing periodontitis. Also pay attention to the mastery of mechanical plaque control methods such as brushing.
(3) Extraction of residual roots, crowns and wisdom teeth that cannot be treated by filling in the mouth, and elimination of possible inflammatory lesions.
(4) If there are missing teeth, they should be restored in time so as to restore the chewing function, which helps digestion of food and nutrient absorption, and is conducive to the health of pregnant women and the growth and development of the fetus.
2, pay attention to oral hygiene during pregnancy, master the correct method of oral cleaning
(1) adhere to the effective brushing twice a day, and advocate the use of mouthwash. This is extremely effective to prevent and control gingivitis during pregnancy. For pregnant women who are prone to dental caries (commonly known as tooth decay), fluoride, such as fluoride coating, can be used locally appropriately.
(2) Appropriate use of dental floss to remove plaque and soft scale from the adjacent surfaces of teeth.
(3) Use sucrose-free chewing gum to clean teeth, such as xylitol chewing gum, which can promote saliva secretion, reduce oral acidification, inhibit bacteria and clean teeth, and help reduce the incidence of tooth decay.
3.Regular oral health examination, oral treatment at the right time
Oral diseases will develop faster during pregnancy, regular checkups can ensure early detection and early treatment, so that the lesions are limited to a small area. For the more serious oral diseases, should choose the right time for treatment.
Pre-pregnancy (first 3 months): a critical period for embryonic development, prone to miscarriage. Oral treatment is not recommended at this stage, and only simple treatment is given to relieve symptoms in case of oral emergencies. Pay attention to avoid X-ray exposure.
Mid-pregnancy (April-June): the appropriate period for treatment of oral diseases. Dental extractions are generally not recommended during pregnancy, but if wisdom teeth are extracted due to severe acute inflammation or urgent need, local anesthesia can be performed during this period after weighing the pros and cons.
Late pregnancy (July-September): At this stage, the uterus is more sensitive and external stimulation can easily cause uterine contraction. If it cannot be avoided, it is recommended to lie down towards the left side or change position occasionally during treatment, and treatment should be simple.
4.Establish good living habits
(1) Careful use of drugs: many drugs are harmful to the development of the fetal jaws and teeth, such as tetracycline will discolor the baby’s teeth, common oral medicine metronidazole (methotrexate) may cause malformation, so the drugs should be used under the guidance of a doctor during pregnancy.
(2) Do not smoke and drink alcohol, avoid passive smoking: pregnant women smoking, drinking alcohol and passive smoking can easily lead to fetal development malformations, such as cleft lip and palate. Therefore, in addition to not smoking and drinking themselves, pregnant women should also avoid passive smoking.
5, to develop good eating habits, reasonable dietary nutrition
(1) Pregnant women should take enough nutrition, including protein, various vitamins (especially vitamin A and D) and necessary trace elements to facilitate the development of the fetus, the formation of bones and teeth and calcification.
(2) Avoid excessive intake of acidic foods that may cause dentin sensitivity.
(3) Balance the dietary structure, choose foods that are good for health and non-cariogenic, eat less sweets and reduce snacks.