Oral Health During Pregnancy: Avoiding Hormonal Gingivitis

During pregnancy, many women suffer from hormonal gingivitis. In order to avoid its consequences (bleeding or reddening of the gums), it is advisable to visit the dentist before becoming pregnant and also during pregnancy, without neglecting oral health.

Oral problems during pregnancy and what they cause

Pregnant women often experience hormonal gingivitis, which is natural and usually begins in the second or third month of pregnancy and can increase in severity up to the eighth month.

This is due to the increase in estrogen and progesterone levels during pregnancy, which causes the defenses to react differently against the bacteria found in plaque bacteria in contact with the gum, manifesting with signs of inflammation: bleeding, redness or weakness of the gum.

In fact, in some cases, gums inflamed by pregnancy gingivitis may react with particular virulence against the bacteria in the plaque, forming large lumps called “pregnancy tumors”. These are not carcinogenic and are generally painless, although with a tendency to bleed, making it scary to brush properly, and easy to produce cavities. Hence the old saying: “every child costs a tooth”.

Below are some examples of hormonal or pregnancy gingivitis:

Importance of taking care of oral health during pregnancy.

Approximately half of all women suffer from pregnancy gingivitis. However, women who have healthy gums or who have cured gingivitis before pregnancy are less likely to suffer from it.

Since many women are unaware of the condition of their gums, dental and dental experts recommend a visit to the dentist to evaluate the health of the gums at the time of pregnancy.

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It is important not to neglect your oral health during pregnancy. Changes in psychology and behavior during pregnancy cause some women to focus their concern on pregnancy and pay less attention to self-care.

Remember: oral care benefits both the mother and her future child.