Pregnancy And Oral Health

Are you or someone you care about planning to start a family, currently pregnant, or a new parent? The arrival of a little one can be extremely exciting, and it seems like there is always something to purchase or prepare. After a baby is born, a new parent needs time to adjust to the routine of caring for an infant. Along with the preparations for a newborn, you should be taking your oral health into consideration. You may be surprised to learn that pregnancy can negatively affect your oral health and lead to severe dental complications. Pregnancy hormones can make you more susceptible to decay and gum disease. Below are recommendations for dealing with your oral health during all stages of pregnancy.

You Definitely Don’t Want This…

We are passionate about routine dental care in our office because we don’t just want to clean and shine your teeth, but we also want to look for other common diseases that can be affecting your oral health. Since our team spends so little time caring for your teeth over the course of the year, the bulk of your oral care is left up to you. If you are not cleaning your teeth properly by brushing and flossing thoroughly, you run a high risk of contracting gum disease. The buildup of tartar and bacteria along the gumline can lead to an infection in the gums. Thankfully, if detected in time, we can treat gum disease. Read on to learn more about the treatments we offer to restore damaged gums.

Why Are My Gums Bleeding?

Have you been noticing signs of pink or red when you are brushing your teeth? If so, it may mean that you have bleeding gums. Bleeding gums does not automatically indicate a problem with your oral health, but if you notice it is occurring frequently, it should prompt you to visit our office to ensure there isn’t a problem. Bleeding gums can be caused by something as simple as trapped food between your teeth, and once you floss and brush thoroughly, the problem is gone. Some other possible causes of bleeding gums include:

Learn More About The Importance Of Gum Care

At Integrity Dental, we care about more than just the state of your teeth. We are passionate about our patients visiting our office for routine hygiene examinations so we can inspect for any problems or look for indicators that there is an issue with the state of your oral health. Tooth decay is so widely known that many patients are surprised to learn that we also check the state of your gums and look for other conditions such as oral cancer. The health of your gums plays an important role in your oral health overall. You may be surprised to learn that periodontal disease, also commonly referred to as gum disease, is the leading cause of tooth loss.

The Importance Of Caring For Your Gums

When was the last time you visited our office for a hygiene examination? If it has not been within the past six months, we hope to see you soon. Many patients assume that during their examination we are only cleaning and polishing teeth, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While the cleaning is an important part of the examination, we also inspect the mouth for diseases that can affect your oral and overall health, like gum disease. Gum disease is a serious gum infection and inflammation caused by bacterial growth along the gum line and around the base of the tooth.

How To Avoid This Silent Disease

When it comes to dental health, most of the time people focus on their teeth but don’t realize that our gum health is very important, too. Did you know that almost half of American adults have some form of periodontal disease, or gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control? Many people don’t even know they have it until they are in the more advanced stages of the condition. Find out more about how to avoid this silent disease.

How To Avoid Periodontal Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control, half of adult Americans have some form of periodontal disease, otherwise known as gum disease. It occurs when bacteria build up on the teeth and become an infection that affects the gums. Other health issues can increase the risk of gum disease, such as pregnancy, diabetes and obesity. Gum disease, however, is easily avoided through good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups.