Know About Women's Dental Health

[Ferber20]

It's important for EVERYONE to take care of their teeth, but women's dental health is essential for a few more reasons - especially if pregnancy is on the horizon. On top of it all, women's dental health is affected not just by their choices or environments, but also by the hormones coursing through their bodies.

That's why oral health is an important part of a woman's overall well-being. Thanks to those hormones, women may experience:

• A higher risk for developing gingivitis

• Changes in the way foods or drinks taste

• An increased risk in developing "dry socket," especially if she's taking oral contraceptives

• An increase in canker sores or cold sores

• A greater chance of developing dry mouth

These types of issues may begin when a girl hits puberty, and they can be exacerbated by the start of her menstrual cycle, by menopause and especially by pregnancy. So if you're a woman who's looking to start a family, your dental health during your pregnancy is especially important, as it can affect the overall health of the baby. But there are some great dental health tips you can follow to ensure that you keep you and your future child safe - and they're pretty easy to follow.

Why Oral Health is Important for Pregnant Women

If a woman's teeth are affected by her hormones, then dental care during pregnancy is especially important. A soon-to-be-mother's oral health can affect the health of the child, so it's important to follow these dental health tips if you're in the process of growing your family:

1. Keep brushing and flossing regularly. Pregnant women are susceptible to "pregnancy gingivitis," which causes the gums to become red and swollen. By maintaining a proper regimen of brushing your teeth and flossing between meals, you're protecting not only your teeth but your gums as well. Healthy gums means you're less likely to develop an infection.

2. Eating nutritious food. We all know the old joke about a pregnant woman's cravings. But a baby develops his or her teeth between the third and sixth month of your pregnancy. Eating foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins, especially calcium and Vitamin C, can help the child build strong, healthy teeth and bones. It's one of the many reasons why oral health is important when it comes to a growing baby.

3. Schedule your regular trip to the dentist. Soon-to-be-mothers see many doctors during those nine months, and the dentist should be one of them. If your teeth become infected, the baby could get sick too. Make a concerted effort to see your dentist early on: sitting in that chair might be uncomfortable once your baby's large enough to give you a kick!

4. Talk to your dentist about x-rays. Many dentists won't perform x-rays on pregnant women if they can avoid doing so, but sometimes it's inevitable. So discuss the risks with a dentist before you take that step, to see how you can minimize any risks.

By following these dental health tips, you can help protect your baby - and yourself - from unnecessary health risks later on. Whether you're pregnant or not, it's a terrific idea to keep your mouth as healthy as possible. That's because women's dental health is important at every stage, so make sure that taking care of your teeth is always a top priority.

[Botkins_05]

My god! Bad gingivitis is deadly to the core. Hot and cold sensations are quite irritating and thinking to pay a visit to the doctor. I am totally frustrated with them now and made the appointment online with dentist Manhattan Beach suggested by my gym friend. She is quite sure about the positive results in minimum time. Hoping for the best.

[lightswitchedon]

Please read about the benefits Hiritaki can have in terms of dental health. I am just beginning to work with the herb in a couple of ways. Google it.

[―λlτεrηĭτγ⇀]

Hey Ferber20,

I see you've lurked the forum for a while. Let me give you a late but warm welcome, since I hadn't yet.
I've added so many additional choice sections and subsections to the forum,
and hope to see users contribute to them and appreciating and benefiting from them.
Sending some good karma your way through the forum feature for contributing to a newer section of the forum =)

I've been using a brand of toothpaste called Desert Essence.
The specific one is "Natural Tea Tree Oil & Neem Toothpaste - Wintergreen
with Baking Soda & Essential Oil of Wintergreen - Flouride and SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate).
I have a soap dispenser, also on the sink which I fill with either Dr. Bronner's natural soap or Sun & Earth brand.
(Both derived from natural plant oils or plant oil constituents)
I mix 1/3rd part soap and 2/3rds part water, and I'll usually add a couple drops onto the brush as well.

I use natural bamboo toothbrushes with charcoal bristles, which are really cheap on eBay.
As to avoid unnecessary plastic products. Plus I think they're badass.

After brushing I use a copper (anti-microbial) tongue scraper, and scrape down, from the back of the tongue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_properties_of_copper
That I purchased packs of, off of eBay. I believe there's at least 2 popular metals used that you can purchase.
It's an Ayurvedic traditional Indian medicine practice; And there's specific metals recommended for different Ayurvedic dominant doshas.
I believe Stainless Steel, also anti-microbial, is the one recommended for my Pitta dominant dosha.

Just like in Auriculotherapy, Reflexology, Facial Acupucture - how ears, feet, hands, and face are microcosms of the body -
tongue scraping is supposed to help detoxify and refresh the organs of the body.

See here, as the forum only lets me embed images with a small file size, within the post.
https://www.yogadownload.com/Portals/0/Images2/Blog%20Thumbnails/605c1c60-92bf-40ff-85fa-243d79a2497f.jpg

Then I use a neti pot to clean my nose and sinuses, helping clear the respiratory tract.
And gargle with the remaining warm water and sea salt.

Therapeutic grade Clove essential oil is also greatly beneficial as a local anesthetic.
I've purchased it cheaply off of eBay, and had it shipped to a friend in the past, who was suffering from not having health insurance.

Also, White Oak bark is a strong astringent and helps tighten and strengthen the gums. You can kind of suck on it and gently chew it, without the intention of breaking it apart.
https://brigittemars.com/articles/herbal-natural-remedies/natural-toothcare/

There's also an herb called Toothache Plant (Acmella oleracea), which was used by Native Americans.

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, along with the related Zanthoxylum americanum, it is sometimes called "toothache tree"[3][4] or "tingle tongue" because chewing on the leaves, bark, or twigs causes a

tingling numbness of the mouth, tongue, teeth and gums. It was used for such medicinal purposes by both Native Americans and early settlers to treat toothache because of this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_clava-herculis

I believe chewing on the root or stem of Echinacea would work the same way. As well as being anti-mocrobial, it causes numb tingling in the mouth.

They can be used as aphrodisiacs and sucked and chewed on before oral sex, because of those properties, namely the electric tingling feeling. 

And as much of a naturalist as I am, I agree with seeing your dentist when due if you have the means, especially if you benefit from having health insurance.

Best regards