Bleeding Gums

Pregnancy dental care tips

If you are finding that you have swollen gums or other dental sensitivities during your pregnancy, you're not alone. Bleeding gums rank among the most common pregnancy side effects women experience, and while you may not think of it as a pressing issue, the truth is that it must be taken seriously as it holds the potential to cause serious problems and complications. Pregnancy dental care is extremely important, and your prenatal checkups and screenings should also include a visit to your dentist's office.


Pregnancy gingivitis, swollen gums, bleeding gums and other prenatal dental disorders are believed to be rooted in elevated hormone levels, particularly progesterone. The end result is that inflammatory responses in your gums become hyper-pronounced, and they flare and swell up much more quickly than they usually do against plaque and bacteria.

How Dental Problems Affect Pregnancy

Left untreated, there is a risk of pregnancy gingivitis developing into periodontal disease, in which the inflammation and tissue recession moves past the gums and into your jawbones. Periodontitis is a serious and irreversible dental condition.

There is also mounting evidence that pregnant women with serious gingivitis or periodontitis are at elevated risk for going into labor prematurely and have higher preeclampsia rates. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that can be life-threatening to both you and your unborn baby.

Home Remedies for Bleeding Gums and Other Prenatal Dental Conditions

Prevention is the most effective means of treating bleeding gums and pregnancy gingivitis. Eat a healthy diet, count sugary treats among your foods to avoid, brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice per day and floss every day. Visit your dentist to detect any problems which may have existed prior to your getting pregnant.

You can switch to sensitivity toothpaste, which can ease the pain in your gums and help you build up resistance to hot and cold substances, if temperature sensitivity is among your pregnancy dental issues. Your dentist can also give you topical analgesics to ease the swelling and pain; medications such as novocaine (and most other local dental anesthetics) are safe for use during pregnancy.