Congratulations! In a few months, you're expecting a new baby... but, in the mean time, your body is adjusting to nausea, weight gain, food cravings, and a hundred other changes. Is this really the time to worry about your teeth and gums?

Yes and no — don't worry, but do be aware of a few basic facts about your oral health and your pregnancy, and how they affect each other.

Being pregnant may make your teeth and gums more sensitive. It also puts you at greater risk for some periodontal diseases, like pregnancy gingivitis (“gingival” – gum tissue; “itis” – inflammation of) and benign growths on the gum called “pregnancy tumors.” You may think these problems are just uncomfortable, but you should really have them evaluated as soon as they develop. Why?

Once upon a time, it was believed that periodontal (gum) diseases just affected the mouth. Today, we think these diseases and their associated bacteria may be involved with the whole body, playing a role in cardiovascular ailments, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and other illnesses.

What's more, recent studies suggest that these oral bacteria may be able to cross the placenta, stimulating an inflammatory response that may lead to preterm delivery. Babies who are born pre-term often have low birth weight, and are at greater risk for a number of health complications. That's one reason why maintaining good oral health is so important to expectant moms.

So, what should you do? First of all, keep in mind that maintaining your own general and dental health is the best thing you can do for your developing baby. Eat a balanced diet, keep up healthy habits — like limiting sugary between-meal snacks and brushing regularly — and don't put off visiting your dentist to get your dental cleanings. Those cleanings and a thorough evaluation can set your mind at ease and give your baby the best chance at a healthy start.

If you would like more information about pregnancy and oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Pregnancy and Oral Health,” and “Expectant Mothers.”

Every pregnant woman knows that her body will go through a series of profound changes as it's making a new life. Along with the alterations in overall size and changes in eating and sleeping patterns, pregnancy also affects the teeth and gums. Here are some answers to common questions women may have about oral health during pregnancy.

1) What's the most important thing I can do for my baby's oral health?

Maintain your own dental and general health! Eat a healthy and balanced diet — it provides the nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed for proper development of your baby's teeth and bones. While food cravings and aversions are common, try to at least limit your intake of sugary snacks to mealtimes. Don't neglect the good habits of brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist regularly. This will help minimize the possibility of tooth decay or gum disease.

2) Does pregnancy make me more susceptible to gum disease?

Yes. “Pregnancy gingivitis” (“gingival” – gum tissue; “it is” – inflammation of) may develop from the second to the eighth month. This is mostly due to elevated hormone levels. In the presence of gum disease, pregnancy hormones may stimulate the production of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation of gum tissues. Occasionally, benign growths called “pregnancy tumors” may also appear on the gums during the second trimester. If they don't resolve themselves, these may be surgically removed after the baby is born.

3) With all my other concerns right now, why is the health of my teeth and gums so important?

Several studies have shown a link between periodontal (gum) disease, pre-term delivery and low birth weight — conditions which put some newborns at greater risk for health complications. There's also a correlation between more severe periodontal disease and an increased rate of pre-eclampsia, a potentially serious condition. But treating periodontal disease decreases the level of inflammation-causing prostaglandins. That's one reason why you should come into our office for an evaluation as soon as you know you're expecting.

4) Is it safe to get dental treatments while I'm pregnant?

Dental examinations and routine treatment during pregnancy is generally safe for both mom and baby. If you need non-urgent dental care, it may be most comfortable in the first five months of pregnancy. Situations requiring urgent care are managed as they arise, to treat pain and infection and to reduce stress to the developing fetus. Under the watchful eye of your dentist, it's possible to have anesthesia, X-rays and dental medications (if needed) without undue risk. So don't let worries about dental treatments keep you from coming in for a check-up!

If you would like more information about pregnancy and oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Pregnancy and Oral Health,” and “Expectant Mothers.”

Do you clench your jaw or grind your teeth? Bite your nails? Chew on pencils or toothpicks? Or, heaven forbid, unscrew hard-to-open bottle caps using your precious pearly whites?

Over time, habits such as these — referred to in dentistry as “parafunctional” (para – outside; functional – normal) or beyond the range of what nature intended — can inflict excessive wear and tear on your teeth. Besides the impact damaged teeth can have on your smile, so called “tooth to tooth” and “tooth to foreign object” behaviors can cause physical problems, such as jaw joint and muscle pain, headaches, earaches, and even neck and back pain.

Use of Excessive Force

Parafunctional behaviors exert an abnormal amount of force on your teeth — up to 10 times the amount used for biting and chewing. Tooth grinding or “bruxism” (from the Greek word brykein – “gnash the teeth”) is particularly detrimental and is commonly seen in individuals who are experiencing a stressful time in their life. Some medications can also trigger it. Since bruxism often occurs while people sleep, it's possible to be unaware of it unless a partner comments (it can be noisy!) or a dental professional points out the tell-tale signs of wear.

To counter the adverse effects of nocturnal tooth grinding our office can create a customized night or occlusal (bite) guard. Typically fashioned from a hard, clear “processed acrylic” (wear-resistant plastic), this type of guard is amazingly inconspicuous. It is made to fit over the biting surfaces of the upper teeth only and is thinner than a dime. When it is worn, the lower teeth easily glide over the upper teeth rather than chomping into and gnashing with them, which minimizes the likelihood of erosion, chipping and uneven or excessive wear of the biting surface of the teeth. The guard is so unobtrusive, that some people even wear it as they go about their daily activities.

Remember: In addition to proper dental hygiene, you can help keep your teeth healthy by using them wisely!

If you would like more information about parafunctional habits like bruxism and ways to protect your teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Stress & Tooth Habits” and “How And Why Teeth Wear.”

If you suffer from snoring or think you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), did you know that your dentist could play an important role in treating your condition? For most people this is surprising; however, we can provide both education and some treatment options. And as needed, we will work with your other healthcare professionals to get an accurate diagnosis so that you can improve both your sleep and your health.

Oral Appliance Therapy: These devices may look like orthodontic retainers or sports mouthguards, but they are designed to maintain an open, unobstructed, upper airway (tissues at the back of your throat) during sleep. There are many different oral appliances available but less than 20 have been approved through the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for treating sleep apnea. Depending on your specific condition, we may use it alone or in combination with other means of treating your OSA. Here’s how they work. They reposition the lower jaw, tongue, soft palate and uvula (the tissue in the back of the throat that dangles like a punching bag); stabilize the lower jaw and tongue; and increase the muscle tone of the tongue — unblocking the airway.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): CPAP bedside machines generate pressurized air delivered through a tube connected to a mask covering the nose and sometimes mouth. Pressurized air opens the airway (windpipe) in the same manner as blowing into a balloon; when air is blown in, the balloon opens and gets wider. This treatment option is generally not used for snoring, but rather for the more serious condition, OSA.

Surgery: Specially trained oral and maxillofacial surgeons may include more complex jaw advancement surgeries. Additionally, an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist (otolaryngologist) may consider surgery to remove excess tissues in the throat. It also may be necessary to remove the tonsils and adenoids (especially in children), the uvula, or even parts of the soft palate.

The first step towards getting a great night's sleep if you are a snorer that has never been diagnosed or treated for your condition is to obtain a thorough examination by a physician specifically trained in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. And depending on the seriousness of your condition, he or she may strongly encourage you to participate in a sleep study. The results from this “study” can provide your dentist and other healthcare professionals with precise data about your snoring, breathing and sleeping habits. This information is key to treating OSA, if you are in fact diagnosed with this condition. Learn more when you read, “Snoring & Sleep Apnea.” Or if you are ready for a thorough examination and to discuss your snoring, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Just as you would expect, we highly recommend the use of protective mouthguards to anyone participating in contact sports or rigorous physical exercise. The primary reasons we feel this way are substantiated by evidence-based research and experience within our practice. If you don't think mouthguards are helpful, here are some facts you should know:

• Research conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) found that individuals are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth when not wearing a mouthguard while engaged in contact sports or rigorous physical exercise. This shocking fact alone illustrates the importance of protective mouthguards.
• A study reported by the American Academy of General Dentistry (AAGD) found that mouthguards prevent more than 200,000 injuries to the mouth and/or teeth each year.
• Sports-related injuries often end-up in the emergency room; however, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that more than 600,000 of these visits involve injury or damage to the teeth and mouth.
• In addition to the trauma of having a tooth (or teeth) knocked out, individuals who have suffered from this type of injury may end up spending $10,000 to $20,000 per tooth over a lifetime for teeth that are not properly preserved and replanted. This staggering statistic is from the National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety.
• While protective mouthguards were first used in the sport of boxing during the 1920s, the ADA now recommends their use in 29 (and growing) different high contact sports and activities. Some of these include acrobatics, baseball, basketball, bicycling, field hockey, football, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, skateboarding, skiing, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.
• It used to be that only males were considered when it came to needing mouthguards. However, recent studies have revealed that the growing interest and participation of females in these same sports and activities makes it just as important for them to protect their teeth.

To learn more about the importance of mouthguards, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Athletic Mouthguards.” You can also contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about protecting your mouth and teeth. And if you have already suffered from a dental injury, let us evaluate the damage and work with you to restore the health and beauty of your teeth.