At Dakota Dental Apple Valley Dentistry, we’re kickin’ off our “Tooth Truth or Mouth Myth” series where we’ll bust myths, old wives’ tales and provide the history behind familiar sayings about teeth and your oral health.
Your Apple Valley dentists, Dr. Shelley and Dr. Bennett, are very excited to hear what wives’ tales, sayings or myths you’d like busted. So submit your question to your Dakota Dental Apple Valley Dental Clinic at: https://dakotadental.com/ask-questions/ and watch our blog where we’ll let you know if it’s a Tooth Truth or a Mouth Myth. Everyone who submits a myth or question for Dakota Dental Apple Valley dentistry to bust will be entered into a drawing to win a prize!
The current Tooth Truth or Mouth Myth we’re busting is …
“Gain a child, lose a tooth.”
This old wives’ tale implies that for every baby a woman gives birth to, she loses a tooth – is this a Tooth Truth or a Mouth Myth?
The commonly held belief behind this old wives’ tale is that pregnancy interferes with calcium absorption and the hormonal changes negatively affect oral health – therefore exchanging the gain of a child for a loss of a tooth.
Losing one whole tooth for every child is a bit of a stretch, BUT …
The results from a New York University College of Dentistry study of almost 3,000 women did show a link between tooth and gum disease and the number of pregnancies a woman had.
One explanation could be that pregnant women may be less likely to visit the dentist. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that even though a quarter of pregnant women surveyed reported having dental problems, only half of them went in for dental work.
It is a Mouth Myth that calcium is lost from the mother’s teeth during pregnancy. The calcium a baby needs is provided by the mother’s diet, not by her teeth. If dietary calcium is inadequate, however, the mother’s body will provide this mineral from reserves in her bones. An adequate diet of calcium-rich foods plus supplements will help ensure that both mother and baby get all the calcium needed during pregnancy. But it is a Tooth Truth that there seems to be a link between pregnancy and dental problems.
The American Pregnancy Association says, “Preventive dental cleanings and annual general dental services and exams during pregnancy are not only safe, but are recommended. The rise in hormone levels during pregnancy causes the gums to swell, bleed, and trap food causing increased irritation to your gums. Preventive dental work is essential to avoid oral infections such as gum disease, which has been linked to preterm birth.”
Your Dakota Dental Apple Valley dentists will provide you with the safest dental procedures during pregnancy and will answer all of your pregnancy related dental questions – letting you know what is a Tooth Truth or a Mouth Myth!