Cleaning for two

Deborah Lyle explains the importance of oral health before, during and after pregnancy.

Most dental professionals know how important it is for expectant mothers to maintain prime oral health. Pregnant women are even offered free dental treatment under the NHS, mostly due to the proven association between pregnancy and oral disease.

But added research and studies in oral hygiene behaviour indicate that women should be extra vigilant about practising good oral cleaning habits not just during, but before and after pregnancy as well.

Gum disease

It is estimated that 50 to 70 per cent of expectant women suffer from a condition called ‘pregnancy gingivitis’ at some point during their term. This is due to increased amounts of progesterone in their system acting as an immunosuppressant, making pregnant women more susceptible to gingival inflammation.

The discomfort of swollen and bleeding gingival tissue is not the only side effect that mothers-to-be have to suffer when they are diagnosed with periodontal infection; gingivitis and periodontitis can bring more serious consequences to their pregnancy as well. Studies show that expectant women with periodontal disease may be at risk from conditions such as low birth weight babies and pre-term birth. Aside from being predisposed to a myriad of post-natal complications, pre-term and low birth weight babies are also more likely to encounter heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes later in life.