Pregnant women can have toothaches due to many different reasons, but if the pain is not properly relieved, such as using painkillers without a doctor’s prescription, it can directly affect the health of the fetus. Therefore, to relieve the pain, you can apply some of the fastest ways to relieve toothaches for pregnant women using natural ingredients available in the kitchen to ensure safety.
1. Why do pregnant women have toothaches?
Pregnant women can have toothaches due to the following reasons:
1.1. Due to hormonal disorders
During pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone are two hormones that tend to increase, causing the blood vessels in the teeth to lose elasticity and swell more than normal. From there, blood accumulates, leading to bleeding gums, gingivitis and some other dental problems.
1.2. Due to morning sickness
Morning sickness often occurs in the early stages of pregnancy and is the cause of toothache in pregnant women. Major hormonal changes cause the stomach valve to widen and the amount of acid in the stomach to easily reflux into the esophagus. When teeth are frequently exposed to acid due to gastric reflux, the teeth will be eroded, become sensitive and easily aching.
In addition, the rapid increase in relaxin during pregnancy also affects the digestive system, causing bloating, belching, and increasing the risk of acid secretion in the stomach.
1.3. Due to changes in diet
Pregnant women need to supplement adequate nutrients, in addition to main meals, pregnant women also need to supplement snacks. This diet causes bacteria to always exist in the oral cavity, increasing the risk of tooth decay.
1.4. Due to oral hygiene habits
Proper oral hygiene is very important to ensure that pregnant women do not suffer from oral diseases during pregnancy because pregnant women often have many meals a day. Therefore, many people suffer from toothaches due to not practicing proper oral hygiene.
2. Does toothache during pregnancy affect the fetus?
According to experts, when pregnant women have tooth decay or other oral diseases, the risk of premature birth or low birth weight is twice as high as normal. The reason is that bacteria can penetrate the placenta from the oral cavity, increasing the physiological concentration of amniotic fluid. Premature and low birth weight babies are at high risk of death or cerebral palsy, poor eyesight, developmental delays, and other health problems.
In addition, if the pregnant mother has tooth decay, the baby may be born with tooth decay from an early age because bacteria enter the baby’s oral cavity when kissing or feeding the baby. Therefore, taking care of the pregnant mother’s oral health will directly affect the baby’s oral health in the future.
3. The fastest way to relieve toothache for pregnant women at home
Pregnant women can apply the following simple methods to quickly relieve toothache:
3.1. Using Piper lolot
Pierce lolot leaves contain many alkaloids and the roots of Piper lolot plants also contain many essential oils with the main ingredient being benzyl acetate, which has high anti-inflammatory properties, so this is considered the most effective and popular folk remedy to reduce inflammation.
Pregnant women can do one of the following two ways to relieve toothache at home:
- Pierce lolot leaves: Boil or crush with one liter of water and a little salt. Rinse your mouth with the juice several times a day, do it for 2-3 days to see results.
- Lotus root: Crush it with a little salt and squeeze out the juice. Use a toothpick or cotton ball to soak in the solution and apply it directly to the painful tooth. Hold it in your mouth for about 2-3 minutes and then rinse your mouth with clean water. Do this about 3-4 times a day for 2 consecutive days.
3.2. Use clove essential oil
Clove essential oil is also one of the ingredients that helps relieve toothache effectively and especially has a pleasant scent. Pregnant mothers use cotton balls soaked in clove essential oil and hold it on the painful tooth to feel more comfortable.
Or you can crush 1 or 2 dry cloves in the middle of the tooth when there is no essential oil available and hold the clove in the painful tooth for about 1 hour, the pain will be completely reduced.
3.3. Gargle with salt water
Salt is an easy-to-find ingredient available in every family’s kitchen. Salt has high antibacterial properties, so it is commonly used to relieve toothache for pregnant women.
Dissolve about half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and use this mixture to gargle for 30 seconds after brushing your teeth to clean your mouth, remove harmful bacteria, then spit it out and rinse your mouth with clean water.
3.4. Using garlic
Garlic is a folk ingredient used to treat toothache as well as other oral diseases effectively and safely, especially for pregnant women. Garlic contains antibiotics that protect the oral cavity from the attack of bacteria that cause infections, and also has the ability to quickly relieve pain.
Pregnant women can chew washed or crushed garlic directly and apply it to the painful tooth to relieve pain after about 2-3 times.
4. Treating toothache for pregnant women at the dentist
In fact, some ways to relieve toothache at home for pregnant women are only temporary and cannot completely treat it. At the same time, the above methods can also be dangerous when pregnant women are allergic to the above ingredients. Therefore, when pregnant women have toothache, the best way is to go to the dentist for examination and treatment to avoid more serious complications.
First, the doctor will take an X-ray to determine the cause of the toothache. From there, the appropriate treatment method can be given. Rest assured that the doctor will definitely equip the necessary tools to protect the fetus from the effects of X-rays.
- Toothache due to tooth decay: The doctor will clean the cavity and then fill the tooth or apply a cosmetic porcelain crown.
- Toothache due to gingivitis: The doctor will clean the tartar, treat the tooth root surface and clean the oral cavity.
- In addition, the doctor will prescribe some pain relievers if necessary. Note that pregnant women should not arbitrarily use any pain relievers or antibiotics to avoid some serious complications for the fetus.
5. Preventing toothache in pregnant women
To prevent toothache in pregnant women, you should note the following:
5.1. Supplement adequate nutrients
During pregnancy, not only the pregnant woman herself but also the fetus in the womb needs calcium and vitamins necessary for bone and tooth development. Therefore, pregnant women need to supplement foods rich in calcium and essential nutrients such as cheese, milk, crab, fish, shrimp, etc.
5.2. Proper oral hygiene
Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush at least twice a day, especially after eating, to remove bacteria and food debris in the mouth.
Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months to avoid bacteria accumulating and causing tooth decay and gingivitis.
Use toothpaste containing fluoride to support healthy teeth.
5.3. Regular dental check-ups
During pregnancy, pregnant women should also have regular dental check-ups at least twice a year so that the doctor can check their oral health and take treatment measures for any problems, avoiding dangerous complications for the fetus later.
So when you feel toothache or discomfort, you can apply some of the fastest ways to relieve toothache for pregnant women that BIK International Dental Clinic has suggested above. However, to limit dangerous complications later, pregnant women should go to the dentist for a check-up and specific advice on measures to completely relieve the pain without affecting the fetus.
