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Being pregnant can make someone quite busy. Between ultrasound appointments, prenatal checkups, and other appointments as well as trying to prepare a nursery, childproofing a home, and making sure you have all of the necessary supplies can keep a woman very busy. However, don’t let your dental health and responsibilities fall off the list. Getting a checkup, especially in the first two trimesters of a pregnancy is completely 100% safe. This way any cavities you have or other oral health problems you have can be fixed before you have the child. The dentist can also provide help with any dentally-related problems you are having during pregnancy.

The American Dental Association (ADA) encourages all women to continue regular dental care during pregnancy. Maintaining oral health is key to helping ensure you have a healthy pregnancy. Other conditions that may help you have a healthier pregnancy can be solved at this time as well.

When Do I Tell My Dentist I Am Pregnant?

It’s best to do this up front, even if you think you might be pregnant to notify all doctors and care providers you have, including your dentist. Also let your dentist know of any medications you are taking, and also of any special orders from your physician or other healthcare providers. If you are a high-risk pregnancy or have certain conditions some dental treatments may be best if postponed till you have given birth.

How Will Pregnancy Affect My Mouth?

Many women will make it through a full pregnancy without a single dental problem. Others, however, do have some dental problems and pregnancies can make it worse for them! Good dental habits before pregnancy can help keep you healthy and keep the baby healthy during pregnancy as well. This way, if issues arise you can address them early and ensure they don’t harm the well-being of your unborn child.

What Problems Do Pregnant Women Usually Have?

There are several pregnancy problems that can become an oral nuisance or problem, and a few of the following are the most common:

1. Pregnancy Gingivitis: Your mouth can be effected by hormonal changes in the body and sometimes that can result in things like “pregnancy gingivitis” or other similar conditions. Getting ahold of these conditions and controlling them is vital to good oral health during pregnancy, and not letting that disease get into any more advanced stages of periodontal disease. Your gums may also bleed a little when you brush them and you may notice your gums are more sensitive than usual.
2. Increased Risk of Tooth Decay: Many women who are pregnant are prone to having more problems with their teeth such as cavities or even tooth decay in more extreme cases. Morning sickness and vomiting can add to the amount of acid your teeth are exposed to and it can eat through the enamel on your teeth faster. Brushing and flossing regularly can help ensure you are maintaining the best oral health possible, and can help save your enamel from excessive wear.
3. Pregnancy Tumors: Overgrowths of tissues can help can often appear along the gum line, and swelling of the gum line is also common, especially between the teeth. Many gums will also bleed more easily, and plaque can collect more easily. Many of them may leak a red, raspberry-colored substance from them, but most are harmless in nature. If are concerned or want them removed talk to your dentist about that possibility.

Medications:

Be sure your dentist is aware of any type of medications you are on as that will help determine what treatments may or may not be suitable for you. This way your dentist can also contact your physician to reach out if any pain medications or other prescriptions are needed to ensure no conflict between that prescriptions and others you are on is an issue. This helps with prescription recommendations.

Local Anesthetics Throughout Pregnancy:

Different procedures such as root canals or having cavities filled during pregnancy may require local anesthetics to ensure that you are not experiencing pain during these procedures. These local anesthetics are safe for both you and your unborn child to use. Dentists will likely use things like lidocaine gels or shots, both of which are safe practices on pregnant women. Studies have shown that there are no issues with a higher risk of premature pregnancies or other issues that may occur while using certain medications when using these forms of local anesthetics.

Digital X-Rays During Pregnancy:

Most dentists will only use digital x-rays on pregnant women, and despite the almost negligible amount of radiation released from such procedures will cover your abdomen in a lead apron to expose and limit any exposure of radiation to your unborn child even further. This will also protect your thyroid from soaking in any radiation that may possible be present during this procedure as well.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016. The Ramona Dentistry Team “Where Family Comes First”

You know that smoking is terrible for your health. You also know that it’s terrible for your oral health as well. You know that it causes terrible breath, tooth decay, gum diseases (gingivitis/periodontal conditions), and also lung/breathing problem as well. But, you still may wonder: How do I know if my smoking/tobacco habit has affected my oral health yet?

Some of the signs that your smoking/tobacco habits have caught up with you include: stained teeth/tongue, dulled senses of taste (when eating), slow healing after tooth extraction/surgery, difficulties in correcting cosmetic dental problems, gum disease, and even oral cancer.

Quitting smoking/tobacco is the best way to decrease your chances of having these oral health problems in the future. It’s the nicotine in many of the tobacco products that make quitting particularly difficult as its very addictive in nature. Write down a plan for quitting before you start so you visualize it and are able to hold yourself accountable. Nicotine chewing gums and patches may help some people. Other distractions to keep your hands and mind busy to distract from smoking may help others. It may take trial and error, but you have to find what works for you to keep you from considering going and trying more cigarettes. Talk to your dentist or doctor if you are serious about quitting for things that may help you kick the habit once and for all.

It’s been 50 years since the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health was issued for the first time, and since then smoking and related illnesses have taken the lives of at least an estimated 20 million Americans since. Additionally, it’s estimated that additionally another 2.5 million have died because of living in households or close quarters with regular smokers and the related conditions.

Anyone can visit the Surgeon General’s website and see their easy-to-read, illustrated guide to the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking & Health to get more information on how smoking is so harmful to someone. If you need more inspiration to quit, talk to your doctor as they will be able to offer tips and tricks to help you set up a lifestyle that is free of smoking and tobacco products that harm your health. It takes some determination in time, but anyone can indeed quit smoking and using harmful tobacco products in their lives. If you fail the first time, keep trying and in time you will succeed and have a healthier, happier life both dentally and physically because of it!

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016.

The Ramona Dentistry Team

“Where Family Comes First”

We have all had bad breath at some point. It’s just one of those disgusting phenomena that happen sometimes. In fact, studies show that about 50% of adults have had chronic bad breath, or halitosis, at some point in their adult lives.

What Causes Bad Breath?

There are a variety of things that may be the suspect of putrid breath. Some of these are harmless causes, and others can be more serious, but here are the main reasons people have breath that smells terrible:

1. Bacteria: Considering how many hundreds of kinds of bacteria live in your mouth it’s no wonder that an imbalance of certain ones can cause your breath to smell terrible. The bacteria in your mouth is fed by the food you eat, which can produce foul smelling odors left in your mouth.
2. Dry Mouth: If your mouth is not producing enough saliva this can also result in terrible-smelling breath. Dry mouth can be caused by some medications, and sometimes it can also be a result of your salivary glands not working properly, or even can result from breathing through your mouth too often.
3. Gum Disease: Bad breath that won’t go away or breath that won’t smell better no matter how many mints you have or how many times you brush your teeth may mean that the problem is deeper in your mouth than just on your teeth. It may be a problem that is lurking underneath the surfaces of the mouth such as in your gums. Usually this will be from plaque and tartar buildup on the teeth, and at this point the gum disease will be pretty advanced.
4. Foods/Drinks: Certain foods and drinks can make your breath temporarily less than pleasant to smell. Some of the worst offenders include onions and garlic as well a coffee. Others will notice the effects when you exhale!
5. Smoking & Tobacco: Over time, smoking will stain your teeth, which will give you wretched breath and put you at risk for a host of other oral health problems including irritated gums and the inability to taste food well as you would be able to if you didn’t use tobacco products.
6. Medical Conditions: Mouth infections can cause bad breath. However, sometimes if your dentist has ruled out other causes and you are brushing and flossing on a committed basis every single day you may look for other underlying conditions. Some of these conditions include things like sinus conditions, gastric reflux, diabetes, or liver/kidney diseases. In this case you will need to seek your healthcare provider’s intervention to help treat the problem.

How Can I Keep Bad Breath Away?

Here are 7 ways:

1. Brush & Floss Regularly: Probably the easiest and most effective way to keep bad breath at bay is to commit to a regular schedule of brushing/flossing daily. This includes brushing at least 2-3x per day and flossing at least 1x per day. Keeping the food and bacteria particles from building up in your mouth can help avoid the nasty odors and stenches that come with it.
2. Take Care of Your Tongue: When you are cleaning your mouth don’t forget about that floppy thing called your tongue. If you see a white or brownish coating on your tongue that is a good clue that it has been neglected in the past, and needs some extra TLC. That film can be bacteria or even fungi that have grown in the mouth because it has been left without being cleaned for too long. Ensure you are cleaning your tongue on a regular basis along with the rest of your mouth.
3. Mouth Washes: There are many over-the-counter mouthwashes available that can help keep your teeth squeaky clean. These washes neutralize bacteria and also can temporarily make breath smell a lot better. It’s a temporary solution, but be sure to brush and floss on a regular basis as well.
4. Clean Your Dentures: If you happen to have dentures be sure you are taking them out at night and that you are soaking them in the appropriate solutions to keep them sanitary and brush them with a soft bristle brush and water or toothpaste as instructed by your dentist.
5. Keep That Saliva Flowing: Make sure you are getting that saliva flowing throughout the day. Promote saliva creation by eating a variety of foods that require your mouth to produce more saliva throughout the day. You can also try chewing sugar-free gums and sucking on extra sugar-free candies to help promote extra saliva production.
6. Quit Smoking: Tobacco will make your breath smell even worse than it would otherwise, and it promotes tooth decay and rotting so kick the tobacco habits ASAP! This can also help improve breathing and lower chances of cancers. It improves your life in many ways past oral health!
7. Visit Your Dentist Regularly: If you are concerned about chronic bad breath visit the dentist regularly to ensure you are not having any gum disease such as gingivitis or even periodontitis, and make sure your teeth are free from tartars and plaques that can cause odors. Ensure you are not experiencing tooth decay or rot as well.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016.

The Ramona Dentistry Team

“Where Family Comes First”