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Your Oral Guide to Pregnancy

With pregnancy comes the anticipation of a new life and the upsurge of female  hormones required for the development of foetus .While this development prepares the mother's body for hosting and nurturing a new life it also has a paramount effect on the  metabolism and the physiology of  the mother.

During pregnancy there is an increase in both the female hormones progesterone and oestrogen which by the end of third trimester reach levels 10 and 30 times their respective levels during the menstrual cycle

These hormones affect the immunity of the body and the permeability of the blood vessels..ie, the ability to exchange fluids with the surrounding tissue, the manifestations of which may also be seen in the oral cavity.
Good Oral Health
It has been found that around 60- 70  % of pregnant women complain of about some sort of gum problems that manifest usually around the 2nd month  and reduce in severity by the 9th month. But it has to be noted that these gum problems arise only if some amount of local irritants like bacterial plaque or tartar or remnants of food particles are already present in your mouth. Due to the elevated level of hormones the response to these irritants simply gets aggravated when compared to non pregnant women.

If  you notice that a part of your gums or your entire gumline appears red, swollen, fragile and tends to bleed easily, do visit your dentist. A simple treatment involving professional cleaning i.e scaling procedure can relieve you of your symptoms of pregnancy gingivitis. But  remember that the  oral hygiene measures  advised to you like brushing properly and regularly, flossing and thorough rinsing after meals have to be strictly  followed as well.


A few pregnant women also complain of a small tumor like growth on the gums which is dusky red or magenta in color, semifirm, but friable with pinpoint red markings on it. Though it is often painless, if  the growth is big enough to interfere with your bite then it might cause painful ulcers. It is often referred to as a pregnancy tumor simply on account of its size. It is only a localized gum enlargement due to inflammation and not cancerous.
All these gum enlargements are seen to spontaneously regress post pregnancy but complete healing of  the gums requires the total removal of the plaque and the deposits on your teeth that caused the gums to react in such a manner.


Along with everything else, pay a little attention to what's happening inside your mouth as a timely visit to the dentist can prevent you from your dental misery. The second trimester is a good time to get your dental treatments done.

Maintain a healthy diet, stock up on your daily quota of minerals and  multivitamins especially vitamin C for your gums , lead a stress free life and keep your gynecologist updated about  your  dental treatments and medications if advised any and you will be just fine.

ALSO READ : Diet for a Healthy Pregnancy

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5 comments :

  1. Awesome! Nice write up..Awaiting some more Dental Tips from Dr. Nishat Shaikh

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good comprehensive article Dr Shaikh!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I never knew that pregnancy also affects the oral heath of women! This is was an insightful revelation. Thanks for sharing this Dr. Nishat. Hope to read some more.

    ReplyDelete