Is It Normal To Have Bleeding Gums During Pregnancy?

Bleeding Gums In Pregnancy: Should You Worry?

You are pregnant and you notice that there is blood on your toothbrush after you finish brushing your teeth. Don’t panic and immediately rush to an Ohio dentist. This does not mean that you suddenly came down with gum disease. It is actually very common to have this happen when you are pregnant.

Read on to learn more why this occurs with a good amount of pregnant women and hopefully ease any concerns you may have.

Why Does This Happen?

There are quite a few reasons why your gums are bleeding while you are pregnant.

Hormones – This is one of the biggest changes in your body when you become pregnant. Your body develops these so that your blood can flow better to your mucous membranes. The hormones will change the levels of estrogen and progesterone in your body so that you can help your baby.

Changes in Your Diet – When you become pregnant, your tastes in food will change. Foods you loved often taste rancid due to these changes. You might not be getting the nutrients that you need or you might be craving a lot of sweets, which has sugar in them and can cause dental issues.

Morning SIckness – When this unfortunate part of pregnancy occurs, your teeth can be weakened from the acid in your vomit. Rinse out your mouth after each time. Wait for about an hour before brushing your teeth, since your teeth may soft from the vomiting.

Less Saliva in Your Mouth – You need to have saliva in your mouth to help wash away bacteria that could otherwise rinse off bacteria. Since there is less saliva, the bacteria can grow in your mouth and cause dental issues like decay and possible tooth infections.

Your Saliva Becomes Acidic – The actual compostition of your saliva can change and start becoming more acidic,
You Don’t Like The Taste or Smell of Your Toothpaste – When you are pregnant, your sense of smell also changes. What once smelled heavenly can now make sweaty socks seem palatable. That could happen with your toothpaste. If that happens, find a different brand or one that has a different smell. You need toothpaste, though, to keep your oral hygiene at a good level.

When Does It Happen?

Usually you will see this when you are in the second trimester of your pregnancy and then having it be at its highest when you are in your third. Another indicator could be whether you had gum disease before you even became pregnant. But it could also be an early sign that you are, in fact, pregnant. So if you see bleeding gums before you even start showing – you might want to try a pregnancy test.

Other Symptoms To Look Out For

While bleeding gums are one thing you need to monitor, you could see these other things crop up as well:

Swollen Gums – This is another thing to look out for. Don’t worry, it’s normal.
Pregnancy Tumors – Don’t panic – they are generally harmless and only a small percentage of pregnant women get them. You tend to see them in between your teeth. They often disappear when your baby is born.

How To Manage This

The best way is to make sure that you brush twice a day for two minutes at a time. Also floss to keep food particles from staying in there and possibly causing decay. Use a mouthwash too – though it should be an alcohol-free one to avoid drying out your mouth any more than it already is. Take your prenatal vitamins and limit how much sugar you have (though the pregnancy cravings will make that difficult at times).

Most of the time these issues resolve once your baby is born. Of course, you want to always keep brushing and flossing – even though those exhausting times of constantly having to feed and bathe your baby. Your oral health depends on it. You also need to see your Bucyrus dentist twice a year, as usual, for a cleaning and check-up. Then you can have a healthy smile while you take care of your baby.

At Pure Health Dental, we have helped many pregnant women navigate their oral health while getting ready to bring another life into the world. Our caring staff is more than ready to answer any questions that you might have about bleeding gums. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

Pure Health Dental