Does Your Smile Need a Mommy Makeover?

Pregnancy is a wonderful time, but it puts a lot of demands on your body, including your mouth. Unfortunately, as a result your smile may end up looking a little worse for wear after your baby is born.

Fortunately, damage done to your smile can be corrected with a smile makeover.

Receding Gums

One of the most common effects of pregnancy on oral health is an increase in gum disease. Gum disease is partly the effects of bacteria infecting your gums, but partly your body’s response to bacteria. In pregnancy, hormones can cause your body to react more strongly to bacteria, causing an increase in inflammation and bleeding.

Over time, this increased response can damage your gums, causing receding gums and potentially even tooth loss.

Eroded Teeth

If you have serious morning sickness, it can damage your teeth and gums. Your stomach acid will erode both dental enamel and gum tissue. The result can be highly damaged teeth and receding gums.

Talk to your doctor about ways to control your morning sickness. If you still have morning sickness, rinse with a weak solution of baking soda after vomiting to help neutralize stomach acid and protect your teeth.

Mobile Teeth

When gum disease attacks your gums, it also attacks the bone below your gums, which supports your teeth. As a result, you may find your teeth are looser than they’ve ever been. Even if your teeth are just a little loose, they are more likely to drift, which can cause orthodontic changes in your teeth.

If you’re lucky, your teeth may move to get straighter, but in most cases, women see their teeth grow crooked, and they may even develop bite problems like TMJ.

Fixing the Effects of Pregnancy on Your Smile

If you are unlucky, pregnancy may have dramatically impacted your smile. You may have receding gums, eroded teeth, crooked teeth, and even some tooth decay.

Fortunately, we can reverse these effects. Porcelain veneers can be used to correct eroded teeth and crooked teeth. Other times, we might refer you for orthodontic work.

Want to learn how you can restore your smile to its pre-pregnancy beauty and vibrance? Please call (912) 234-8282 today for an appointment with a Savannah cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.