Oral Care for Pregnancy and New Parents

At Kitchener Street Dental, we initiate the concept of holistic dentistry.

This approach to dentistry takes into consideration the physical and emotional health and mentality of each patient, as opposed to just focusing on the oral health.

General health and oral health are inherently associated; therefore, it is important to prioritise your oral health and also view it as a necessary tool for overall wellbeing.

This is why oral care is implemented into our daily lives from day one, but what about when you are the one responsible for introducing oral care into a little one’s life?

For new parents, it is especially important, but often intimidating, to fixate on dentistry. So, we have compiled some tips and useful information for those expecting and new parents.

Expecting parents

Pregnancy has a huge effect on your body, how it reacts and how it functions. Generally, because your body changes so significantly during pregnancy, your dental routine might as well.

Here is some useful information and tips for women who are pregnant:

Protect your future baby’s health

Pregnant women are especially susceptible to issues such as gum disease and tooth decay because of hormonal changes in the body. If these issues become severe, they can affect the baby’s development and possibly lead to a premature birth.

It is highly recommended to see the dentist while being pregnant. This way, your dentist can monitor your oral health and help determine if there are any issues as early as possible.

Protect your own health

Morning sickness and acid reflux are very common symptoms of pregnancy that can lead to tooth damage and erosion. To protect your teeth against damage from acid reflux and morning sickness:

• Rinse your mouth immediately with water
• Wait 30 minutes before brushing teeth to avoid damaging softened enamel, you could smear toothpaste over your teeth and rinse instead
• Chew sugar-free gum to wash away the acid and promote saliva

Pregnancy oral health tips:

• Brush your teeth 2-3 times a day and floss
• Increase your calcium intake to satisfy your baby’s growing demands and strengthen your teeth and bones
• Increase your vitamin D intake
• Drink lots of tap water as it contains fluoride, milk, or other calcium fortified drinks

New parents

Taking care of your new baby’s/infant’s oral health is not as daunting as it seems. Babies teeth will start appearing at around 6 months of age. When you see the first tooth come in, bring them to the dentist or bring them in when they turn 12 months, whichever comes first!

Here are some oral health care tips for new parents:

• Wipe your baby’s gums with a wet cloth after each feed
• When a tooth does appear; use a soft baby toothbrush with water
• Take your child to the dentist at 12 months of age or when the first tooth appears
• After 18 months of age, you can use a pea-sized amount of low fluoride toothpaste
• When your child has teeth that touch, gently floss them

Your family dentist will also be able to provide some great infant oral care tips as well. Prioritising your child’s oral health is important because it is a vital aspect to their overall wellbeing. And although baby teeth will eventually fall out, they are still extremely important to pave the path for adult teeth. If the baby teeth were healthy and well taken care of, then adult teeth will emerge healthy and in good form as well.

Holistic Dentistry Toowoomba

We are a Toowoomba dental practice who cater to the whole family and spotlight each family members individual needs. Our philosophy embraces the core principles of holistic care and treatment. If you are looking for a family dentist in Toowoomba that will tend to each of your distinctive needs; do not hesitate to contact us.