Prenatal control is defined as the set of actions, procedures – whether systematic or periodic – that aim to prevent, diagnose and treat those factors or conditions that may affect both maternal and prenatal health and development.
In this case, the objective of prenatal care is to achieve and/or provide the best conditions for both the fetus and the mother so that the birth can take place in the best conditions, without psychological or physical sequelae in the mother or the newborn.
Recently, the World Health Organization has increased from four to eight the number of pregnancy control visits that the mother should make during the months of gestation.
Prenatal dental check-ups
When we talk about prenatal dental checkup, in these cases it is a general oral checkup in which the oral health status of the mother is checked, checking if there are any problems of caries, gingivitis or any mucosal lesion.
In this case, the false myths have an important history. An important part of people believe that the calcium needed by the fetus during its formation is obtained directly from the mother’s teeth.
Obviously, this is an incorrect belief. In fact, it is an error caused by people’s observation or by word of mouth among mothers themselves.
It is believed that as a result of pregnancy, some mothers lose or lose their teeth. These are myths that have been formed throughout history and are difficult to change.
So, it should be said that the fetus takes calcium mainly from the diet and from the mother’s bones.
What actually happens is that the immunoglobulin in the saliva is lost, so that the saliva becomes like harmless water for us and for the bacteria of the oral flora. As a result, bacteria increase in number causing different pathologies such as caries, gingivitis, mucosal lesions or simply halitosis.
All this is only combated with more hygiene, brushing and a mouthwash that stabilizes the bacterial flora of the mouth.
When to visit the dentist
In reference to the frequency in which these controls should be made, the ideal is that they are made every three months during pregnancy and for a year after in the breastfeeding period. This post-pregnancy period is also very important, since the time of feeding the baby with breast milk is a period of risk equal to that of pregnancy.
Ideally, expectant mothers should see their dentist before they start noticing symptoms, so they should not wait for them to manifest themselves. But they should do so with even more reason if there is already: gingivitis -i.e. bleeding gums-, sensitivity to temperature changes -possible cavities-, dry mouth, i.e. lack of salivation.