Oral Diseases During Pregnancy and the Importance of Visiting the Dentist

Visiting the dentist while pregnant is extremely important. Pregnancy affects the entire body, and the mouth is no exception since the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy have a direct relationship with your oral health as well. Having regular dentist visits is important to your overall health and quality of life when you are expecting. Most serious conditions can be averted with a little care and making sure that your dental provider knows that you are pregnant. At the same time there are some more serious oral health issue that may arise, or may be exasperated, because of the pregnancy itself. 

Hormonal increase can lead directly to inflammation of the gums or gingivitis. Because the body has an increase in the hormone progesterone, the gums can become red and swollen. When combined with the pregnancy this causes a reduced ability of the body to fight infections and can turn into pregnancy gingivitis. Pregnancy gingivitis can also cause bleeding of the gums when you brush your teeth or floss, and it is a good idea to keep your dentist in the loop to prevent any further complications from occurring. 

Dentists are very cognizant that pregnant women are also at risk for the more serious periodontal disease. When the bacteria in your mouth affects the pockets below the gum line, it can damage the fibers that hold your teeth in place. Getting treatment for periodontal disease is vital, especially for pregnant women because it can adversely affect the fetus. Women with periodontal diseases are at a higher risk for having babies with a lower birth rate than normal. 

Among the many effects of the hormonal changes due to pregnancy is a reduction in the amount of saliva that the mouth produces. This in turn can create dry mouth which can lead to additional complications and increases the risk of oral diseases. A dentist has many ways of dealing with dry mouth, once they are aware of the problem. 

Morning sickness is dreaded by women across the globe as the universal blight that comes with being pregnant. Unfortunately, in cases of severe morning sickness, the mouth is also adversely affected. Your dentist needs to be aware of servere morning sickness and vomiting because the vomiting can erode the enamel in the back of your teeth. 

A small percentage of women develop what is known as a pregnancy granuloma. This is a small growth that occurs along the upper line of your gums, can be sensitive, bleeds easily, and sometimes will develop a scab. While not necessarily dangerous, this growth can make a woman more conscious, while simultaneously affecting the way she eats and speaks. Luckily this granuloma will usually disappear after the birth of the child. 

It is important for your dentist to know you are pregnant so that you can plan out your oral health routine accordingly. With good hygiene practices, great eating habits, and a dentist looking after your teeth and gums, visiting the dentist could be the easiest of all your pregnancy doctor visits.

Diabetes and Oral Health: The Redwood City Dentist Treats Diabetic Patients

If you have diabetes, it is important to know that your Redwood City Dentist treats diabetic patients. As a premier family dentist located in Redwood California, we know that patients who suffer from diabetes also have their oral health affected by the disease. Dental care is critically important for diabetic patients because, quite simply, they face a higher level of risk associated with gum, tooth, and mouth health problems due to poorly controlled blood sugar levels. The less well controlled the blood sugar levels are in a patient, the higher their risk of oral health conditions and hence it is critical for such patients to experience ongoing and regular dental health care. 

There are more bacteria in your mouth than the entire population of the planet. The team at Roy Dental treats diabetic patients because we know that having diabetes means you are more exposed to those germs settling into your gums and causing additional problems like gum disease. Dr. Roy advises patients to keep their blood glucose levels under control in order to promote good overall health. If it is not under control, we will work to ensure that it does not adversely affect your teeth and gums by removing bacteria and plaque during regular teeth cleanings. For the nearly 30 million Americans that have diabetes, there is a direct correlation shown between having diabetes and an increase in the risk of contracting dangerous oral diseases like periodontist disease. 

Dr. Roy treats diabetic patients in our Redwood City Dentist office. Oral diseases can be made worse due to diabetes, something Dr. Roy can help to prevent.

Diabetics can suffer from the following:

• Dry mouth or a lack of saliva.  Dry mouth is a very common problem for those with diabetes. This can lead to additional oral health problems such as ulcers, tooth decay, and, infections
• Periodontitis and Gingivitis. These are two diseases which affect the gums and cause inflammation. Since patients with diabetes have thickened blood vessels, the ability of the body to fight infection due to a slowing down of the flow of nutrients and waste is exaggerated. Since diseases like periodontists disease are caused by bacterial infections in the mouth, the reduced ability of the body to naturally fight these infections can cause the infections to be more severe and occur more frequently. 
• Thrush.  This is a fungal growth which occurs in the mouth of patients who take antibiotics frequently to fight other infections. Our Redwood City Dentist office treats diabetic patients with this condition which causes burning mouth and tongue sensations. Since the fungus thrives on the high levels of sugar in the saliva of people with uncontrolled diabetes, it can be a common and annoying problem for patients to have. 
• Delayed healing times.  Many diabetic patients do not heal well or quickly after any surgery. The same is true for oral surgeries which may need to be performed to ensure that a patient has good oral health. An impairment of the blood flow to the site of the surgery make the healing process longer. 

For patients with diabetes it is important to find a dentist who is specifically aware of the challenges of treating a diabetic patient, so that they can provide the best possible care. Dr. Roy, a Redwood City dentist treats diabetic patients and has the experience to help you maintain the best possible oral health.