The American Pregnancy Association suggests that pregnant women schedule regular dental cleanings and check ups during pregnancy and get any necessary work such as fillings, root canals and extractions. However, they suggest that you postpone unnecessary dental procedures such as cosmetic dentistry. If the appearance of your smile is important to you and you regularly work with a cosmetic dentist to reduce staining through professional bleaching, below are some things you should consider.
Consider Veneers Before You Become Pregnant
If you regularly whiten your teeth due to staining issues, you should know that you will most likely not be able to continue your standard routine while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Because of this, you may want to consider having veneers placed before you become pregnant. Porcelain is a stain resistant material, making you less likely to experience staining during pregnancy if you have veneers in place.
Schedule Regular Appointments for Professional Cleanings
A professional cleaning is more thorough than your at home cleaning, and regular professional cleanings can help reduce staining on your teeth. You may want to schedule a professional cleaning several times throughout your pregnancy. The second trimester is usually best for dental week as your fetus is not developing as rapidly as it is during the first trimester, but you can still sit comfortably for a long period of time. You may want to schedule a cleaning at both the beginning and end of your second trimester.
Reduce Your Intake of Food and Beverages that Can Cause Staining
You probably already know that coffee, tea, wine, and cigarettes can cause teeth staining. Since it is recommended that you limit or eliminate these things from your diet completely during pregnancy, you should not have to worry too much about teeth staining. However, you should know that some healthy foods and spices, such as tomato sauce and curry, can also contribute to staining. Try to limit these foods by replacing them with fresh veggies and cooked green veggies.
Consult With Your Cosmetic Dentist If Any Major Dental Work Needs to Be Completed
If you do have major work done during pregnancy, such as a root canal or an extraction, make sure to consult with your cosmetic dentist. They can integrate your emergency work into any future cosmetic plans that you have for your smile. For more information about what kind of dental work you can have done safely during pregnancy, work with your doctor and a dentist like those at Alliance Family Dental.
Share16 September 2016
Hi, my name is Kevin Nelson and I want to tell you about my experience. I had a painful tooth so I went to see my dentist. After the examination, he said that I needed to have a root canal to save the tooth. I told the dentist to just pull the tooth instead and then he explained why that wasn't a good idea. He said that pulling the tooth would cause additional problems and then he told me what could happen. I didn't want any more problems, so the dentist did the root canal and I'm glad that he did. I wanted to write a blog to tell others about the benefits of a root canal and what to expect during the procedure. I hope that by getting the word out, other people won't make the same mistake that I almost did by getting a perfectly good tooth pulled.