Dental hygiene and pregnancy: gums, teeth and bad breath in pregnancy

Reading time: 9 mins

Pregnancy is a joyful, wonderful, and sometimes scary experience. It comes with changes to your body that can be exciting and daunting in equal measure.

As your baby develops, changes happen to your immune system,¹ metabolism² and hormonal balance³ in order for your body to adapt to being pregnant. With these changes it is important to take care of not only your physical health but also your oral hygiene to maintain healthy gums, teeth, and overall oral health during pregnancy.

These changes during your pregnancy can be responsible for a range of oral health problems. Here we’ll explore common issues with pregnancy and teeth:

• Toothache during pregnancy
  
• Swollen gums
  
• Bleeding gums
  
• Bad breath
  
• Cavities
  
• Gum diseases

Read on to discover why it is important to take extra care of your  teeth, gums and mouth during pregnancy. In addition, we’ll show you what you can do to achieve optimal oral health during your pregnancy so you can be sure to enjoy a happy, healthy smile from beginning to end.

Bear in mind that we can give a general overview, but we don’t know your specific situation and we’re not a substitute for a dentist. If you’re experiencing unbearable tooth pain while pregnant, speak to your dentist for professional medical advice.

Common oral health problems in pregnancy: teeth and gum issues explained

Swollen gums? Pregnant? You’re not alone.

With the huge hormonal changes and other physical changes that happen during pregnancy, it’s no wonder that oral health problems arise as often as they do. Here are a few of the most common oral health problems during pregnancy:

• Gum diseases such as gingivitis. Unfortunately, gingivitis is extremely common, occurring in around 40% of pregnancies.⁴
  
  Tip: If you’re worried that you’re dealing with more serious issues such as periodontitis, be sure to seek advice from your dentist.
  
  
• Swollen gums while pregnant. The main cause of inflamed or swollen gums in pregnancy is the expansion of the blood vessels due to hormonal changes. This can also be a symptom of gingivitis.
  
  
• Bleeding gums during pregnancy. If your gums begin bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth while pregnant, it could simply be due to the increased blood flow during pregnancy.⁵ It could also be another symptom of gingivitis.
  
  
• Gum pain during pregnancy. From gingivitis to gum recession, there are a number of reasons you could have painful gums during pregnancy. Gum health is crucial during pregnancy to prevent damage to your teeth.
  
  
• Bad breath during pregnancy. When you’re pregnant, hormones alter the condition of the lining of your mouth and make it easier for bacterial plaque to settle there. As the bacteria interacts with food and drink you consume, it produces sulphur, which is the main cause of bad breath during pregnancy.
  
  
• Tooth pain during pregnancy. If you find yourself dealing with uncomfortable or even unbearable tooth pain while pregnant, it could be an indication of cavities. Some things you should know about this type of toothache during pregnancy are:
  
  1. Hormonal changes during pregnancy cause the acidity of your saliva to increase, which promotes the development of cavities.
  2. If you haven’t been prone to dental cavities prior to your pregnancy, it is unlikely that you will develop any issues during your pregnancy.
  3. If you have any existing damage from cavities, it is likely to worsen through a pregnancy.

Bad breath and tooth pain during pregnancy: remedy and prevention tips

In order to make your pregnancy as comfortable as possible and to protect the health of yourself and your baby, it is very important that you maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Following these steps can help prevent cavities, gingivitis and bad breath in pregnancy and ensure you have both a healthy pregnancy and teeth:

1. Brush your teeth thoroughly. We all know to brush our teeth at least twice a day, and this is especially key during pregnancy – especially if you have been suffering from morning sickness.
   
   
2. Choose the right toothbrush. It’s important to not only have the correct technique, but the right brush too. Electric rotating or sonic toothbrushes are best, as they reach more areas than a manual brush and are gentler on your teeth and gums. Additionally, make sure that you are cleaning your toothbrush in order to avoid transferring unwanted bacteria back into your mouth.
   
   Tip: We recommend the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean. Its integrated pressure sensor alerts you when you are pressing too hard during brushing and supports a gentle cleaning of your teeth during pregnancy. Gum Care brush heads, such as the Philips Sonicare G3 Premium Gum Care brush heads, are particularly gentle on your gums for a more comfortable brushing experience.
   
   
3. Clean your interdental spaces. This is worth doing at least once daily with dental floss. This not only helps to remove food residue and get into those hard-to-reach areas, but it also promotes overall oral health by removing microbes that lead to plaque and dental issues such as gum recession and cavities in pregnancy.⁷
   
   Tip: If you’re not a fan of flossing, or it causes gum pain during pregnancy, use an interdental brush or the Philips Sonicare Power Flosser.
   
   
4. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash. Rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash once a day will help to promote good oral health and protect your mouth from any issues.
   
   
5. Increase your intake of water. Drinking plenty of water is recommended while pregnant anyway,⁸ but it also has the added benefit of flushing bacteria out of your mouth and slowing down the plaque production process.
   
   
6. Adjust your diet to protect your teeth. Eating healthily when pregnant is key to protecting your health and the health of your baby,⁹ but it will also help care for your teeth. Avoid eating sweets as a snack between meals, as these are additional acid attacks on your teeth.¹⁰ It’s better to eat sugary foods (if at all) together with main meals and brush your teeth an hour after eating.
   
   
7. Visit your dentist regularly. You should aim to book one appointment in the first three months of pregnancy, and a second during the last three months of pregnancy.¹¹ Additionally, we recommend having your teeth professionally cleaned during your pregnancy as an extra defensive measure.

Don’t take oral care during pregnancy lightly. With just a few simple steps, you can reduce your risk of tooth pain during pregnancy, bleeding, gum disease and other common ailments. If you’re still experiencing tooth pain during pregnancy, remedy the issue with a visit to your dentist.

Sources:
¹ Mor and Cardenas, The immune system in pregnancy: a unique complexity, American Journal of Reproductive Immunology 63(6), 425–433.
² Lain and Catalano, Metabolic changes in pregnancy, Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology 50(4), 938–948.
³ Kumar and Magon, Hormones in pregnancy, Journal of the Nigeria Medical Association 53(4), 179–183.
⁴ Srinivas et al., Periodontal disease and pregnancy outcomes: time to move on?, Journal of Women’s Health 21(2), 121–125.
⁵ Sanghavi and Rutherford, Cardiovascular physiology of pregnancy, Circulation 130(12), 1003–1008.
⁶ Worthington et al., Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling periodontal diseases and dental caries, Cohrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019(4).
⁷ How to keep your teeth clean, NHS.
⁸ Kristen S Montgomery, Nutrition column: an update on water needs during pregnancy and beyond, Journal of Perinatal Education 11(3), 40–42.
⁹ Have a healthy diet in pregnancy, NHS.
¹⁰ Paula Moynihan, Sugars and dental caries: evidence for setting a recommended threshold for intake, Advances in Nutrition 7(1), 149–156.
¹¹ Yenen and Ataçağ, Oral care in pregnancy, Journal of the Turkish-German Gynecological Association 20(4), 264–268.