NHS Dentistry and Healthcare during Pregnancy
You are entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you:
- are pregnant, or
- have had a baby in the last 12 months
You’re also entitled to free NHS dental treatment, including check-ups, if you’re accepted for treatment:
- while you’re pregnant, or
- within 12 months of giving birth
Oral Health Dentistry and Pregnancy Care
Oral health pregnancy issues are some of the most important aspects to be dealt with concerning pregnant women. Dental and pregnancy concerns should be dealt with in the most caring way, by expert dentists who will be able to give the expectant mothers the oral health pregnancy care they truly need and deserve.
This is Dentistry gives you access to the contact information of dentists in your local area, who can provide you with expert oral and pregnancy care advice. This is Dentistry understands that an expectant mother needs to have all the convenience she can get for her dentist pregnancy needs, so we will give you the information you need to easily get in touch with a dental and pregnancy expert near your area.
Common Oral Health Pregnancy Concerns
Pregnancy brings about a multitude of changes in a woman’s body; these changes affect the dental health of the expectant mother as well. Here are just some of the oral and pregnancy concerns that a pregnant woman may experience during the duration of her pregnancy:
- Pregnancy Gingivitis – Pregnant women may notice that there is a change in their gums, which can include redness, swelling and bleeding. This oral health pregnancy concern may develop as a result of increased hormone levels (specifically the hormone progesterone), which in turn can contribute to the multiplication of bacteria inside the mouth.
- Teeth Erosion – Pregnant women who experience severe morning sickness symptoms that include vomiting are at risk for teeth erosion. This dental and pregnancy concern starts when the gastric juices that come with the vomit start to erode the tooth enamel, mostly of the back part of the teeth.
- Pregnancy Granuloma – Also known as pregnancy tumor or pyogenic granuloma, although the first term can be misleading as this oral health pregnancy concern is not exactly a tumor – it is not even cancerous or dangerous. Pregnancy granuloma are red nodules that bleed easily, and quickly turn into mouth ulcers; they are found usually close to the upper gum line, but can also manifest themselves anywhere else inside the mouth.
- Dry Mouth – This oral health pregnancy concern is very common among pregnant women, because of the inevitable hormonal changes.
- Excessive Saliva – Expectant mothers sometimes experience having excessive saliva during the first few months of their pregnancy; this is expected to go away as the pregnancy progresses.
If you experience any of the dental and pregnancy issues listed above, do not hesitate to get in touch with your dentist immediately. Regardless of the severity of the issue, you need all the help you can get to feel as comfortable as possible during your pregnancy – so you can fully enjoy and concentrate on the magic of having a precious life (or two?) growing inside you.
