Oral health during pregnancy

Stomatitis during pregnancy is a fairly common pathology. At this time, the immune system becomes weaker and the body directs all its strength to the development and growth of the fetus. The expectant mother's immunity drops, which can trigger the development of various diseases. In addition, the development of stomatitis can be influenced by hormonal changes in the body.

Stomatitis is manifested by inflammatory ulcers, which are usually localized on the oral mucosa. Ulcers cause significant discomfort to the expectant mother and prevent her from eating normally.

If stomatitis starts, it can lead to serious consequences.

Only a specialist can prescribe the correct treatment; you should not prescribe medications yourself.

Most often, stomatitis appears in the early stages of pregnancy, at a time when the female body is undergoing restructuring.

There are several types of disease:

• Fungal or candida species. As a rule, it occurs due to reduced immunity. It is characterized by itching, pain, and the tongue is covered with a white coating.
• Viral type. This type can be contracted from an already sick person who is a carrier of the disease. Most often, the disease manifests itself in the winter-spring season, when many are susceptible to vitamin deficiency.
• Allergic type. If the expectant mother is susceptible to allergies, she may develop this type of pathology.

A dentist will be able to make the correct diagnosis and determine the type of pathology.

Pimples in the mouth and discomfort while eating are the main symptoms of the development of the disease.

Other symptoms are:

• redness of the tongue and palate;
• the appearance of plaque;
• burning and itching, especially when eating;
• increased body temperature;
• increased salivation.

Most often, the disease is diagnosed in the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy. Often, the disease can manifest itself again in the third trimester, when the expectant mother’s body lacks vitamins and minerals.

Why does stomatitis develop during pregnancy?

There are quite a few reasons. The most common include:

• Poor oral care.
• Untreated carious cavities in which bacteria actively multiply, which provoke the development of stomatitis.
• Injury to the oral mucosa (cut or burn). If you accidentally bite your cheek, stomatitis can also develop.
• Eating unwashed fruits or vegetables. Seeds and nuts are also breeding grounds for bacteria.
• Problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• An allergic rash that can appear on any part of the body, even on the cheeks or tongue.
• Contact with an already infected person.
• Reduced immunity.

Treatment

If you notice any symptoms of the disease, you should not delay visiting a doctor. Self-medication is a risk not only that the disease will not go away, but that the pathology will become chronic.

Only a specialist will select the optimal treatment option for the disease for the expectant mother.

The primary task is pain relief. Most often, gels and ointments are used for this purpose for the eruption of the child’s first teeth. Such drugs are absolutely harmless for a pregnant woman, and at the same time, very effective. In addition to the analgesic effect, such products have an antiseptic effect.

The viral type of pathology is treated with the mandatory use of antiviral agents.

If the disease is caused by a fungus, then it should be treated with antifungal drugs that are suitable for the expectant mother.

How to keep your teeth and gums healthy during pregnancy?

When planning a pregnancy, it is very important to prepare the oral cavity and carry out a complete sanitation. However, if after pregnancy there are still teeth that require treatment, they definitely need to be cured! During pregnancy, teeth can not only be treated, but also necessary! You need to warn the dentist that you are expecting a child, then he will select a safe anesthetic with less adrenaline. It is advisable to carry out dental treatment from the second trimester of pregnancy, but if necessary, it can be done in the first if there is a risk of complications. Starting from the 20th week, you can carry out x-ray diagnostics of teeth using the latest methods of computer visiography, which are absolutely safe for both the expectant mother and the child.

If we talk about prevention, the most important aspect for maintaining a healthy oral cavity is proper nutrition (reducing carbohydrate intake, introducing calcium-rich foods into the diet), taking vitamin and mineral complexes prescribed by a gynecologist.

And, of course, proper dental care. Complete hygiene includes brushing your teeth 2 times a day in the morning and in the evening after meals. The use of additional hygiene products in the form of dental floss, interdental brushes, tongue scraper and anti-inflammatory elixirs. Please note that all hygiene products are selected for you by your dentist INDIVIDUALLY!

It is necessary to visit the dentist every 3 months for a follow-up examination and remineralization therapy. Remineralizing therapy involves artificially impregnating dental tissues with the necessary mineral components that are so necessary during pregnancy. Also, if necessary, professional oral hygiene is carried out (once every six months). It includes removing tartar and plaque using ultrasound and an Air Flow device, and thoroughly polishing the surface of the teeth using professional pastes.

All materials used are absolutely harmless to both the woman and the baby. After professional hygiene, the surface of the teeth is covered with a special remineralizing composition. Conducting remineralization therapy once every 3 months and daily proper dental care will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums during pregnancy.

Consequences of stomatitis for the expectant mother

If stomatitis is not treated promptly, it can lead to serious complications. For example, an increase in body temperature in a pregnant woman can negatively affect the fetus. Some experts argue that an advanced form of the disease can affect the development of stomatitis in a baby. A viral variant that is not treated in a timely manner can also negatively affect the child.

Painful sensations cause severe discomfort to the expectant mother, and the inability to chew food normally can provoke vitamin deficiency.

The main causes of an unpleasant taste in the mouth during pregnancy

Why might pregnant women have an unpleasant taste in their mouth—bitter or sour? Experts say that there may be several reasons for this phenomenon, so to understand what causes this unusual taste, you need to pay attention to other symptoms. A sour taste may be a sign of hormonal imbalance, lack of vitamins or diseases of the digestive system.

Physiological and hormonal changes in the body

During pregnancy, significant hormonal and physiological changes occur in a woman's body. In the early stages, many suffer from toxicosis, which manifests itself in the form of nausea, heartburn, and vomiting. In this case, a sour or bitter taste periodically appears in the oral cavity, especially in the morning.

In the second and third trimesters, the reason for the appearance of a sour or bitter taste is not toxicosis, but the growing uterus. Starting from the middle of the term, the uterus begins to increase in size, displacing neighboring organs. It puts pressure on the liver, gall bladder and stomach. As a result, the woman experiences belching and heartburn, which is accompanied by a bitter and sour taste.

Another reason for a strange taste in the morning is high progesterone levels. This hormone has the property of relaxing muscles to reduce the tone of the uterus. At the same time as the myometrium, the esophageal sphincter also relaxes slightly, causing stomach acid to be released into the esophagus.

Various diseases

During pregnancy, many chronic diseases become aggravated. If a woman has previously had problems with the gastrointestinal tract, they can manifest themselves in the form of bitterness and acidity. If you feel unpleasant symptoms, the expectant mother should immediately consult a gastroenterologist for advice.

The table provides a list of diseases that cause an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Lack of vitamins and microelements

A sour or metallic taste in the mouth appears due to a lack of iron and vitamin C. A decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood is a common occurrence during pregnancy, so doctors often prescribe vitamin complexes and iron-containing preparations to women.

Vitamin deficiency and lack of microelements are usually accompanied by poor health and chronic fatigue. Hair and nails become brittle, skin turns pale. Ulcers and wounds appear on the oral mucosa.

What should be the diet for stomatitis?

As the disease develops, a pregnant woman must adjust her diet. It is best to take liquid food in the midst of illness. Various porridges and low-fat soups are suitable. It is strictly forbidden to consume sour berries and fruits, which not only corrode the affected mucous membrane, but can also provoke the formation of new ulcers. Tangerines, oranges, strawberries, etc. Fruits should be excluded for a while. They can be replaced with apples and bananas.

It is better to eat meat only in the form of minced meat, since hard pieces can injure the already inflamed mucous membrane. It is better to exclude too salty and spicy foods. You should avoid coffee and carbonated drinks.

Features of treatment

Before eliminating an unpleasant taste in the mouth, it is imperative to find out the cause of its appearance. To do this, you first need to consult with a therapist, who, after an initial examination and interview, will refer you to a gastroenterologist. Depending on the disease, treatment may involve taking medications or adjusting your diet.

Diet food

If an unpleasant taste appears, especially if it is a symptom of a digestive tract disease, the pregnant woman needs to change her diet. A few recommendations for creating a diet menu:

• exclude smoked, fatty, fried foods from the menu;
• include fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet, but do not get carried away with cabbage and legumes;
• eat more iron-containing foods - buckwheat, apples, pomegranates, seaweed and liver;
• The basis of the dishes should be lean meat and fish, which can be boiled, baked in the oven or steamed.

Equally important is the frequency and regularity of food intake. If you have gastrointestinal diseases, you need to eat often, but the portions should be small. Under no circumstances should you overeat, but you shouldn’t starve either.

Drug therapy

What medications can help with bitterness or sourness in the mouth? Medicines for pregnant women are prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account medical indications. The treatment regimen directly depends on the cause of the unpleasant taste in the mouth. The following groups of medications are most often prescribed:

• prokinetics - affect the motor function of the stomach (Domperidone, Cerucal, Motilium, Itoprid, Fractal, Osetron);
• antisecretory drugs - Rennie, Almagel, Maalox, Phosphalugel;
• preparations containing iron - Maltofer, Aktiferrin, Sorbifer, Ferlatum, Venofer;
• enzymes to improve digestion - Pancreatin, Creon, Mezim, Festal, Somilase;
• multivitamin complexes - Elevit, Vitrum, Complivit Mama, Pregnakea, Materna, Femibion.

Traditional medicine

How to get rid of acid or bitterness in the mouth using traditional methods? The most effective decoctions of medicinal herbs and vegetable juices are:

• To eliminate bitterness, it is recommended to regularly drink vegetable juices, especially carrot juice;
• Potato juice is suitable for rinsing;
• if the unpleasant taste in the mouth is associated with dental problems and inflammation of the gums, rinsing with chamomile decoction will help;
• To disinfect the oral cavity, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with a solution of soda and salt.

Preventive measures

Tips to help prevent the development of the disease:

• Thorough cleaning of not only your teeth, but also your tongue.
• Regularly replacing your old toothbrush with a new one (at least once every two to three months).
• Consume only thoroughly washed fruits and vegetables.
• The diet should be rich in minerals and vitamins.
• Avoid seeds and nuts, which carry huge amounts of bacteria.
• Try to drink only warm water at room temperature.

Prevention measures

Is it possible to prevent the strange taste from occurring? Some tips for prevention:

1. Changing your diet. During pregnancy, a woman needs to monitor her food intake. Minimize the content of fatty, fried and smoked foods in the menu. It is better to make small portions, but eat them at intervals of 2-3 hours. It is recommended to drink a sufficient amount of fluid (in the early stages - at least 1.5 liters, in the later stages - at least 1 liter).
2. Regular visits to the dentist. The cause of unpleasant odor and taste in the mouth may be diseases of the teeth and gums. You should rinse and brush your teeth after every meal.
3. Rejection of bad habits. Smoking and alcohol are strictly contraindicated for pregnant women.

If bitterness and acidity in the mouth are accompanied by other symptoms (burning, heartburn, abdominal pain, nausea), you should immediately consult a doctor. Such symptoms can be a sign of many diseases.