Teeth Whitening During Pregnancy

Who would have thought, even ten years ago, that the oral health of a pregnant woman could have such profound effects on her unborn child as prematurity, sight loss, hearing loss and general development but recent and current research is highlighting oral health to be just as significant a factor in overall health during pregnancy as healthy eating, exercise and rest. As you are reading this article, I think it's fair to assume that you are someone who cares about their oral and dental health and has perhaps tried teeth whitening kits and teeth whitening gel in the past or is considering trying teeth whitening for the first time. If you are pregnant or breast feeding then this article contains some useful information on teeth whitening for this time in your life. How/why pregnancy affects teeth?rnPregnancy can be the greatest nine months of your life or hell on Earth. It can wreak havoc with your body and your mood. While some women get glowing skin, thick, abundant hair and are full of love for one and all others experience acne like they never had even when they were going through their first crush, alopecia and mood swings Miss Piggy would be proud of. It all comes down to hormones and these chemical mischief makers can cause the dentine inside the teeth to appear darker giving teeth a greyish tinge. Teeth whitening kits can't do much to alleviate this any way and should not be used during pregnancy anyway. Saliva plays an important role in natural teeth whitening. For women who experience morning (afternoon and evening) sickness saliva is reduced. Give your mouth a good rinse after being sick to rid it of the acid you've brought up and because you'll want to anyway! Saliva reduction can also occur later in pregnancy as your little darling dances on your bladder making you need the loo every two minutes, thus leading to mild dehydration. Help your natural teeth whitening by taking lots of sips of water throughout the day. It'll also help relieve heart burn. Can you use teeth whitening products while pregnant or breast feeding?rnThe simple, cover all answer is no. You can, however, use products that promote whiter teeth and prevent strains such as tooth paste that contains bicarbonate of soda. Some teeth whitening tooth pastes are safe to use during pregnancy but double and even triple check the label. If in doubt, throw it out! There are of course measures you can take to keep teeth as white as possible during this time – sipping water, as I've mentioned is one. Lots of tannin rich drinks are off limits while pregnant or breast feeding such as coffee and red wine so build-up of stains will be reduced but remember, don't avoid lovely rich, dark vegetables such as spinach while you're pregnant or breast feeding – when you're all done with pregnancy and breast feeding there are brilliant teeth whitening products you can use to restore the whiteness of your teeth.