Pregnancy in general is an event in life that can affect your body in so many different ways, and it is known for increasing risks to a woman's oral health too. In fact, pregnant women have a greater chance of developing gum disease, simply because of the hormonal changes they experience during this nine-month period. Did you know, too, that morning sickness might also pose risks to your oral health when you're pregnant? Here are some of the effects that morning sickness may have on your teeth and mouth.
What Is Morning Sickness?
If you are pregnant for the first time, you might not know what to expect from the pregnancy, and you might hope you do not get morning sickness. Morning sickness is not something all women experience, but many do. When you have this condition, you wake up feeling very sick to your stomach. You might vomit at least once each morning or more, and you could even feel sick all day. Every case is different. The problem that this sickness poses to your oral health is the risk of acids coming in contact with your teeth every single day during the period of time in which you suffer from morning sickness.
What Risks Does It Pose?
The main risk of morning sickness is the potential for cavities forming due to the acids that come in contact with your teeth. Acid is an enemy of your teeth, and when you vomit, acids from your stomach enter your mouth and make contact with your teeth.
What Steps Can You Take to Prevent Issues?
While there is not much you can do to stop your morning sickness, there are some things you can do that might decrease your oral health risks caused by vomiting from morning sickness. The first is to rinse your mouth with water really well after you vomit. This will help rinse the acids away. Secondly, you should brush your teeth after vomiting; however, you should wait for 30 minutes. If you brush too quickly, you could do more damage than good because the acids temporarily weaken tooth enamel. If you brush while your tooth enamel is in this weakened state, it can cause you to brush the enamel off.
If you are pregnant or planning to be soon, it is important for you to talk to your dentist about this. He or she may give you more tips about caring for your mouth during this time. To learn more, contact a clinic today.