Pregnancy Gingivitis?!

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Friday afternoon I had a regularly-scheduled dental cleaning, which I typically look forward to with glee but have been dreading a tiny bit because my gums have been sooooo sensitive the past few months.  Well, I almost felt out of the chair when the hygienist broke the news to me that I have ... dun dun dun ... "a good old-fashioned case of pregnancy gingivitis".  Say wha?!?!?!?!

Yep, the super-sensitivity, not to mention the gum bleeding I was experiencing pretty badly in the past 1-2 weeks, was all thanks to pregnancy gingivitis!  Gulp!  Thanks a lot, hormones!

How could this be???  I'm the girl who awaits with excitement my semi-annual cleanings -- I just LOVE that professional clean feel.  I experienced my first cavity just last year {hooray for 30+ years of positive check-ups!} and I always say that if I ever won the lottery one of the first things I'd splurge on for myself is a personal hygienist to professionally clean my teeth once a week.  {I know; I'm weird.}  I can't help it -- dental health is high on my priority list!  Hence the nearly falling out of my chair to learn I've been affected by pregnancy gingivitis...

Apparently somewhere between 50-70% of women will develop gingivitis during pregnancy, so it seems I'm in good company.

The good news is that my case is apparently mild -- many times growths called "pregnancy tumors" can form on severely irritated gums, and my hygienist has seen a lot of that so I'll count my stars and try not to complain too much.  The other good news is that it's not a permanent condition; the extra sensitivity and gum irritation should subside after delivery once my hormones go back to normal.  And, since my cleaning, I haven't noticed any more bleeding while brushing!  My hygienist said that my plaque build-up wasn't that bad {for which I thank my handy dandy electric toothbrush}, so I'm not exactly sure WHY the bleeding has stopped since the cleaning, but you won't hear me complain!  Nope, I'm pretty much a happy teeth camper once again!

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My advice?  When pregnant, DO NOT skip any dental appointments!!!  In fact, many sources recommend visiting your dentist at least twice if possible during your pregnancy to avoid damage to gums caused by the extra hormones in your body.  And if you think you may become pregnant soon, get thee to the dentist as well!  It's always good to ensure you don't have any cavities that need to be treated or any other serious dental conditions before pregnancy, since diagnosis (i.e. x-rays), treatment and medication options may be somewhat limited during pregnancy.  I also read somewhere that dental issues during pregnancy if left untreated can cause preterm labor, so it's definitely worthwhile to ensure you're starting out with as healthy of a mouth as possible!

Now smile and say cheese!  ;)