Pregnant women go through many health scares and ordeals to finally complete childbirth and hold their newborns. As a pregnant woman, you might face different kinds of emergency situations. One of the emergency situations can be a dental health emergency. Often toothache gets neglected by people, including pregnant patients. This is not a good thing as it can be a sign of some deeper dental health issue.
Importance of good sleep and dental health during pregnancy
If you are pregnant and facing a toothache, the pain can increase when you are sleeping. When you are sleeping, you will feel more pain in your teeth area because the blood circulation goes up in the lying position. When you are pregnant as is with other stages of your life, you should get proper rest at night. Therefore, if you face a situation of toothache, you should book emergency dentistry services for immediate dentist attention.
Understanding Toothache During Pregnancy
Causes of Toothache in Pregnancy
Below, you will learn about the common causes of toothache in pregnancy.
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Hormonal changes
Toothache while pregnant can be common for multiple reasons. She also goes through many hormonal fluctuations, which can give rise to a set of new health issues like dental pain.
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Increased blood flow to the gums
The circulation of a pregnant woman’s body is also different, and the circulation pace might increase in the gums and oral cavity. When the blood flow to the gums increases, the toothache becomes very aggravated, and you can feel sharp pain.
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Challenges in maintaining oral hygiene
When you are pregnant, you might also feel lazy or low on energy and struggle to maintain your oral hygiene. You will also struggle with bad oral hygiene when you are vomiting and facing morning sickness during your pregnancy. There will also be some particular medicines and formulations that you will not be able to use when cleaning your teeth and maintaining hygiene levels.
Why Managing Toothache is Crucial
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Impact on sleep and overall health
When you are unable to manage your toothache, you will not be able to rest and sleep properly. The toothache will affect your moods, and this will also affect the way your baby develops in the womb. Your diet and overall health will also be affected to a great extent when affected by toothache. Therefore, if you do not take the help of emergency dentistry in San Antonio, your health will suffer.
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Risks associated with dental infections
Another factor that can affect your health from a toothache is a dental infection. A toothache can be a sign of a dental infection, which will fester if you do not treat it. From a dental infection, other infections can also migrate to different parts of your body and to your baby.
Preparatory Steps Before Bedtime
Maintaining Oral Hygiene
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Gentle brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush
To combat poor oral hygiene, you need to use a sensitive and soft-bristled toothbrush that is gentle on your teeth and gums. You need to use a toothbrush that maintains your dental health but does not cause any irritation or hurt to your gums.
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Flossing carefully to remove plaque
You can also use dental floss to keep your mouth and gums clean, but when using a floss, be careful not to injure the teeth set or gums.
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Rinsing with a saltwater solution or pregnancy-safe mouthwash
When using a mouthwash, you need to use a pregnancy-safe mouthwash that is well formulated, keeping the needs and concerns of the pregnant woman in view. The mouthwash should contain all the pregnancy-safe compounds. If you are not going for any store-bought mouthwash, you can also opt for a saltwater solution in the morning and before bed.
Dietary Considerations
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Avoiding sugary and acidic foods before bed
Before you go to sleep or while you eat dinner, you should avoid sugary and acidic foods. Sugar-rich food can not only lead to dental plaque and decay, but it can also shoot up your blood sugar levels, which is not good for the baby.
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Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated
Hydration will keep you and your baby nourished and clean your buccal cavity naturally.
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Eating calcium-rich foods to support dental health
During your pregnancy, nutrition and immunity are very important. You need to eat calcium-rich foods and vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits to maintain your dental health and other parameters of your well-being.
Non-Medicated Pain Relief Methods
Applying Cold Compresses
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Using a cold pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a cloth
When you are facing a toothache, and you still have time to reach emergency dentistry services, you can use a cold gel pack from the freezer or take a bag of frozen peas to do the same. Before you apply the cold pack, wrap it in a cloth.
Elevation
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Sleeping with your head elevated to reduce swelling and pain
When sleeping, you should sleep with elevated pillows at your head so that the blood circulation is regulated and the gum swelling and pain are reduced. When using elevated pillows, you should not use pillows that ruin your sleeping posture and cause soreness.
Use of Clove Oil
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Applying a small amount of clove oil to the affected area for its natural analgesic properties
During pregnancy, you should not use over-the-counter products as they might not be pregnancy-safe. However, something as natural as a clove or clove oil can be applied to the gums. The oil is natural and pregnancy-safe, and it is an excellent pain reliever for the teeth.
Medication and Professional Care
Consulting Your Dentist
There are many instances where you should visit your dentist and seek professional advice.
When to see a dentist
You should see your dentist when you need emergency dentistry services and cannot reduce the pain with natural home remedies.
Professional treatments available
Your dentist will also tell you about the professional treatments available that are pregnancy-safe and can treat your dental concerns. You should discuss your choices with the dentist and treat your infection.
Safe Pain Relief Medications
Discussing with your doctor before taking any medication
Your dentist needs to approve before you start taking any OTC drug for your toothache. When you discuss or visit your dentist, he will be able to examine your teeth and pinpoint the cause of your toothache so you can relieve the pain effectively.
Over-the-counter options considered safe during pregnancy
You will find some of the over-the-counter pain relief options to be pregnancy-safe. However, you should visit your dentist to ensure that your OTC formulation is truly safe.
Alternative Relief Methods
Relaxation Techniques
It is important to practice some proven relaxation techniques during pregnancy to deal with all kinds of pain, including toothache.
Deep breathing exercises
As a pregnant patient, you will also need relaxation techniques. These techniques will not only help you treat the pain but also keep you relaxed during different phases of pregnancy. Your OB-GYN will be able to suggest more relaxation and deep breathing techniques that keep your anxiety and pain level under control.
Guided imagery or meditation to distract from the pain
When you are suffering or are anxious about the pain returning, you need to distract yourself from it. You can take guided meditation sessions to relax and redirect your mind towards better things.
Warm Saltwater Rinse
A warm salt water rinse can double up as a cleansing mouthwash and also provide you relief from toothache and discomfort. Making a saltwater rinse at home is very easy.
How to properly prepare and use a saltwater rinse for temporary relief
You should always prepare a saltwater rinse in a 1:1 ratio. Do not make the water too salty. You should use this rinse twice in the day or whenever you feel the toothache. Even when your teeth are protected, the patient should use salt water as a mouthwash.
Importance of Preventive Care
Regular Dental Check-ups
Regular dental checkups are great for preventive care and treatment of your dental health issues.
Scheduling visits with your dentist for preventive care
Dentist appointments and visits are as important during the pregnancy as at any other time. You need to take care of yourself to take care of the baby. You should schedule dentist visits every two months or three months so that all your concerns are addressed.
Good Oral Hygiene Practices
During pregnancy, you might change your oral hygiene routine, but maintaining oral hygiene is crucial for your long-term health.
Tips for maintaining oral health throughout pregnancy
Maintaining your oral health should be a priority during pregnancy because all other aspects of your health depend on it. You should take the advice of your dentist and use pregnancy-safe oral hygiene products and practices. You should not eat sugar-rich foods or acidic foods. You should eat healthy and consume more vegetables and fruits. You should avail emergency dentistry in San Antonio if you face any problem or toothache.
End Your Nightly Struggle: Try These Pregnancy Toothache Tips
As an expectant mother, your health is of utmost importance. Pregnancy is a tiring but rewarding journey. During the phases of pregnancy, you have to pay attention to all aspects of your health, and this includes your dental health. You should take the advice of your dentist and involve your family in the care of your teeth and other health parameters. For proper dental care, you can book an appointment with Evans Family Dentistry and visit an experienced dentist today.
