Maybe you’ve heard the old wives tale that pregnancy can lead to tooth loss. If so, you may be terrified to think about your oral health over the course of your pregnancy! While there is some truth to the folklore, it’s not quite as simple as it seems. There are certain health concerns that can arise during pregnancy, so read on to learn more about what you need to keep your teeth healthy over the next 9 months.
Is there a relationship between pregnancy and tooth loss?
Pregnancy and tooth loss
The old wives tale about pregnancy and tooth loss was based on a belief that pregnant women would not absorb enough calcium when they were gestating a child, which would weaken their teeth and cause them to fall out. While there is some indication that there is a relationship between pregnancy and tooth loss, it has nothing to do with calcium. Instead, the main culprit seems to be gingivitis.
What is pregnancy gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an incredibly common dental disease that leads to swollen, bleeding, and sore gums. Most Americans have experienced gingivitis at some point in their lives, but during pregnancy this mostly benign condition becomes significantly more problematic. When pregnant women get gingivitis and neglect to have it treated by a dentist (many women are wrongly hesitant to visit the dentist during pregnancy because they fear it could hurt the baby), it could lead to tooth loss. In fact, a recent study conducted at the New York University College of Dentistry found that many expectant mothers had evidence of periodontal disease. In addition, they also found that the likelihood of poor dental health correlated with the number of children they had. Researchers found that women with 4 or more children lost an average of seven teeth! There was a clear link found between more children and higher instances of dental disease.
While the findings may be scary, just because you’re pregnant does not mean you will lose your teeth. What it does mean is that you should continue to visit your dentist for biannual cleanings to ensure that your teeth stay happy and healthy.
Get In Touch With Olney Dental Today
Interested in learning more about how dentistry can make your smile happier? Call Olney Dental at (301) 250-1057 or contact us online for an appointment. And don’t forget to visit Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube to connect with us on social media.