Pregnancy & Infancy

• During pregnancy, hormone fluctuations can affect oral health
• Infant teeth need daily care
• Mothers can give their babies tooth decay

Oral health during pregnancy

When you're pregnant your body experiences many hormonal fluctuations, which can affect your oral health as well as many other areas of health. Specifically, these changing hormones make your gums more sensitive to plaque. This means that if you have gum disease when you become pregnant, pregnancy can make it worse. If you are planning a family or are pregnant already, a dental check up is highly recommended.

Dental care for babies and young children

Children's first teeth are very important. Apart from being needed for chewing and speaking, they help to keep spaces for the permanent teeth. If the first teeth are well looked after, then it is more likely that the second teeth will grow into their correct position.

Your baby's teeth are being formed even before he or she is born. The first teeth start arriving around 4-6 months of age and emerge continuously until all 20 are present, usually around 3 years of age.

Recommended care:

• Brush your baby's first teeth every day with a piece of gauze or cloth
• Later, your baby's teeth can be brushed with a small soft brush - use only a light smear of toothpaste
• Nursing bottle decay affects front teeth. It is caused by baby going to sleep with a bottle of milk or sweet drink. Use only boiled water in baby's bottle and remove once baby is asleep
• From 18 months to 6 years, the use of a reduced fluoride toothpaste (e.g. Colgate Junior) is recommended. Use half a pea-size amount on the brush
• If you live in a fluoridated water area, ensure your child doesn't swallow large amounts of toothpaste. Too much fluoride may cause white patches on permanent teeth
• Floss teeth that are tight together 2- 3 times a week or push fluoride toothpaste between teeth with a finger
• Limit your child's eating episodes to five times a day. Continuous eating and drinking can cause tooth decay. Restrict frequent intake of food and drink with high sugar content and encourage a healthy diet
• When your child's first molars appear, talk to your Proudmouth dentist about fissure sealant

Did you know?

You could give your baby tooth decay. Studies indicate that streptococcus mutans, the main bacteria that causes dental decay, is transmissible. In particular, there appears to be a strong link between mother and child. For this reason, visit your dentist regularly and avoid kissing your child on the mouth.

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