We are pleased to serve the community of Slidell, LA. Our doors are always open to welcome new patients who areready to receive the best in dental care.
Find Us:
Patient Library
Find helpful information in our digital library.
Archive:
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
Tags
- celebrity smiles (66)
- oral health (25)
- dental hygiene (1)
- tooth contouring (1)
- cosmetic dentistry (11)
- dental injury (7)
- mouthguards (4)
- veneers (5)
- crowns (5)
- mouthguard (2)
- dental injuries (2)
- dentures (2)
- oral hygiene (26)
- pediatric care (1)
- teeth whitening (5)
- tooth bleaching (1)
- Toothache (4)
- nutrition (6)
- dental erosion (1)
- chipped teeth (1)
- sedation dentistry (1)
- oral sedation (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- Dental Implants (15)
- orthodontics (5)
- braces (9)
- laser dentistry (2)
- gum disease (17)
- wisdom teeth (6)
- periodontal disease (4)
- root canal (5)
- Root Canals (2)
- dental sealants (1)
- bone grafting (2)
- pediatric dentistry (11)
- tooth decay (10)
- sealants (1)
- tooth staining (1)
- bad breath (2)
- bonding (1)
- Fillings (1)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- partial denture (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- anesthesia (1)
- periodontal (gum) disease (1)
- restorative dentistry (3)
- geographic tongue (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- air abrasion (1)
- burning mouth syndrome (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- dental crowns (2)
- orthodontic treatment (10)
- bacteria (1)
- porcelain veneers (7)
- preventative dentistry (1)
- tooth pain (5)
- pregnancy (4)
- tmj disorders (1)
- sinus surgery (1)
- teething (2)
- Oral Cancer (3)
- cancer treatment (1)
- bone loss (1)
- teeth grinding (2)
- bruxism (1)
- blood pressure medications (1)
- medicine (1)
- Dental Extractions (1)
- Damaged Teeth (1)
- thumb sucking (1)
- smile makeover (2)
- osteoporosis (2)
- smoking (2)
- gum recession (2)
- pulp capping (1)
- root canal treatment (4)
- chipped tooth (2)
- Filling (1)
- dental implant (3)
- Oral Cancer Screening (1)
- dental exam (1)
- fluoride (2)
- composite resin (1)
- Oral Care (1)
- dental care (1)
- loose tooth (1)
- retainers (1)
- Dental Appointment (1)
- Dental Visits (1)
- sleep apnea (1)
- snoring (1)
Why Dental Care is Even More Important When You're Pregnant
Learning you’re pregnant can be a joyous moment. But it also means life is about to change as you focus on protecting you and your child from anything that endangers your health.
Because of these new concerns you might even hesitate about receiving dental care, especially involving anesthesia. But several medical organizations representing doctors, OB-GYN physicians and dentists wholeheartedly recommend continuing regular dental visits during pregnancy.
In fact, you should continue them because you’re pregnant: physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy could increase your risk of dental disease.
For, example, your consumption of carbohydrates (like sugar) could increase, which in turn increases your risk of tooth decay. You’ll also need to be more concerned about dental plaque, a thin bacterial film on your teeth that can cause disease. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may make you more sensitive to plaque, and thus more susceptible to disease — especially periodontal (gum) disease.
In fact, a specific form of gum disease called pregnancy gingivitis affects around 40% of expectant women at some point in their pregnancy. And if you already have gum disease, pregnancy could worsen it. Left untreated the disease could develop into more severe periodontitis, which may significantly damage your teeth’s support structures far below the gum line, leading to bone loss, which could result in the eventual loss of your teeth. Daily brushing and flossing, regular cleanings and checkups and, if your dentist prescribes it, antibacterial mouth rinses can help you stay ahead of it.
But what about other procedures while you’re pregnant? It may be best to wait on elective treatments for cosmetic purposes until after the baby is born. But some situations like deep tooth decay that could require a root canal treatment may become too serious to postpone.
Fortunately, several studies have shown it’s safe for pregnant women to undergo many dental procedures including tooth fillings or extractions. And receiving local anesthesia doesn’t appear to pose a danger either.
The important thing is to remain diligent with your own personal hygiene — brushing and flossing — and making other healthy choices like eating a nutritious diet. And be sure to let your dentist know about your pregnancy to help guide your dental treatment over the next few months.
If you would like more information on taking care of your teeth and gums during pregnancy, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.