Expert Advises Pregnant Women On Dental Care

The Head, Dental
Unit, Abia Hospital Management Board, Mrs Christie Owoh, last Thursday said that dental care was essential in  preventing some health problems associated with pregnancy.
Owoh said in Umuahia that the body of a pregnant woman experienced a lot of changes such as hormonal changes.
These hormonal changes, the dental expert said, could result in several changes in the mouth such as mouth odour.
She said that poor oral hygiene during pregnancy put an expectant mother at the risk of developing gingivitis, a condition that makes the gum to swell and bleed.
Owoh said that poor oral health could also affect the nutritional intake of expectant mothers, a development that could  eventually affect the growth and survival of the foetus.
She said, “poor nutritional intake is capable of making the body’s immunity to become low thereby creating an opportunity for infections and diseases to thrive’’.
She advised pregnant women to always rinse their mouth with mouthwash after eating sugary food, stating  that dental care should be part of antenatal to sensitise expectant women  on its benefits for both mother and child.