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WHAT SHOULD A PREGNANT MOTHER DO?

Even before your child is born, there are things you can do to help assure the baby's teeth develop properly and healthy. A balanced diet is very important for the pregnant mom because the baby's teeth begin to form between the third and sixth months of pregnancy. A diet that has proper amounts of Vitamins A,C, and D, protein, calcium and phosphorous helps develop healthy teeth. Inadequate nutrition on the mother's part can result in poorly formed tooth enamel that can make the developing teeth weaker, softer, and more prone to developing cavities once they erupt.

A pregnant woman should be making sure her teeth and gums are in a healthy condition in order to avoid problems during pregnancy with her own teeth and gums. During pregnancy, hormone levels increase and that can cause gums to become red, puffy, or become tender. This response can cause the gums to bleed easily when brushed. Pregnant women should see a dentist for regular cleanings throughout their pregnancy to have plaque removed and detect any cavities that may be occurring.

Morning sickness is a consequence of pregnancy that can have destructive effects on a mother's teeth. There is natural tendency to want to brush the teeth after a vomiting episode, but this can have harmful effects to the enamel. The stomach acid can soften the outermost layer of the teeth and brushing the teeth right after can actually scratch the enamel. A more healthy solution is to rinse the mouth with water and follow it with a fluoride mouth rinse.

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CAN BREAST FEEDING CAUSE CAVITIES?

Breastfeeding itself does not cause cavities. However, if you do not follow some simple rules, breastfeeding could be the source of sever cavities in your infant.

Try to avoid having your child fall asleep on your breast. The pooling of breast milk in the mouth after falling asleep, exposes the teeth to the sugar in the milk for a longer period of time. Also, when the child falls asleep, the salivary flow decreases which allows the milk to stay even longer in the mouth exposing the teeth.

If your child does fall asleep, after feeding, wipe their teeth with a cotton gauze or wash cloth to remove the milk from the teeth. If your child is still up and willing to take a water bottle, that would also flush the milk off their teeth.

Basically, the longer breast milk sits on the teeth after the child falls asleep, the greater the chances of tooth decay.