Dental Needs of Mother when Breastfeeding

CLINICAL CONTENT WRITTEN & REVIEWED BY CLOVE CLINICAL TEAM

Last Modified: August 5, 2019

FACT CHECKED

Breast feeding is the most natural gift that a mother can give to her child.
Along with taking care of baby teeth of their infants, it’s really important to take care of their own dental health. A breastfeeding mother should practise her routine oral hygiene care to keep her teeth and gums in healthy state.

Here are some dental health tips for new mothers:

Tip 1: Schedule your dental appointment soon.
Once all postpartum checkups are done, you must visit a kids dentist for a routine preventive visit. Elevated levels of pregnancy hormones can affect oral health of pregnant women. This, in turn, can lead to inflammation of gums, bleeding and bad breath. A constant check on oral tissues can help to prevent any dental disease. Occasionally, it has been seen that due to postpartum stress, some mothers develop teeth grinding habit. Speaking to your dentist can help you prevent this habit.

Tip 2: Diet has direct influence on your teeth.
Adequate dietary intakes are necessary for a breastfeeding mother since it has direct influence on milk production. However, due to inadequate calcium intake, there can be loss of bone density that can affect teeth and their periodontium. Breastfeeding mothers should increase their calorie count by eating good foods that are rich in nutrients like, eggs, proteins, almonds and spinach. Mothers should try to minimise their sugar intake. It is also advised that feeding mothers should increase their water intake, and stay hydrated to prevent deleterious effect on teeth and gums.

Tip 3: Follow proper oral hygiene regimen at home.
Appropriate oral hygiene care must be followed at home. This includes brushing teeth in the morning and at night. Regular fluoridated toothpaste must be used. Regular rinsing after meals is recommended. Short term use of chlorhexidine mouthwashes cannot do any harm to mother and feeding child.

Tip 4: It is safe for lactating mothers to get their dental treatment done.
Getting dental treatment done during breastfeeding is harmless. In case of any cavity, infected tooth, bleeding gums, it’s always recommended to get the treatment done sooner, so that the condition does not aggravate.
However, it’s always better to tell your dentist that you are a lactating mother. This shall help your doctor to prescribe you medications that shall be safe for you and your child. It has also been presented that taking local anesthesia and X-rays are totally safe for lactating mothers.

By:-

Dr. Alpa Vasishat Sharma;

Paedodontist