Baby’s Health Starts in the Mother’s Mouth

• Dental check-ups should be scheduled alongside obstetric appointments to maintain the overall health of the mother-to-be.
• These consultations focus on preventing and treating oral conditions that could affect both the mother and the baby’s health.

Pregnant women should know that they can and should undergo dental treatments.

• Pregnancy is not a disease!
• In the first trimester, only emergency treatments should be performed, as this is when the baby’s main structures are developing.
• The ideal time for treatment is the second trimester of pregnancy.
• The mother’s oral health directly affects the baby’s health. Pregnant women with periodontal problems have a higher risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies.
• Oh, and it is NOT TRUE that the baby steals calcium from the mother’s teeth – that is a MYTH.
• So, losing or damaging teeth is not caused by pregnancy but by neglect and vomiting, which lead to chemical erosion and contribute to cavity development.
• Gum bleeding can be normal due to hormonal changes.

Breastfeeding

• • Breast milk has numerous benefits for your baby.
  • For proper breastfeeding, it is important that the baby latches correctly onto the breast, applying the necessary pressure to release the milk and encouraging the baby to breathe through the nose.
  • During breastfeeding, the baby engages in oral exercise that stimulates all the muscles in the mouth. Therefore, it is very important that the baby performs this pressure and sucking movement while allowing nasal breathing, proper tongue positioning, and stimulating the growth for the correct positioning of the dental arches.

Written by Raquel Brandão Carvalho