Gum Problems During Pregnancy..

J. --

Our bodies react to pregnancy in the weirdest ways. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I developed a small but prominent cluster of spider veins next to my nose that grew darker as my pregnancy progressed. As soon as I came home from the hospital after giving birth, the spot had already started fading and was completely gone within two weeks.

If you've had issues with your gums during your pregnancy, then this new development is probably just another manifestation of your galloping hormones. Get it checked out anyway -- you might be able to have it safely treated. But if you're advised to wait, then keep your revulsion in check (easier said than done, I know) and see if it recedes after the baby's born. If it doesn't, get it checked out again.

Congrats on baby #2 and best wishes.

I had the exact same thing happen to me when I was pregnant. I was so worried about it because it would constantly bleed, even when I was just chewing something soft. My dentist thought it was just a weird pregnancy thing and couldn't do anything about it anyway. He told me to come back after I had the baby if it was still there. After I had my daughter, it slowly started to go away. It was completely gone about a month after I had her. I wouldn't worry about it. I guess it's just one more strange thing that can happen to your body during pregnancy!

hi J., i think you should see a dentist right away (or as soon as the insurance kicks in). oral health is linked to our overall health, and if you have an infection it could get passed to your baby. also, don't assume that the dentist won't be able to do anything just because you're pregnant. i had my teeth cleaned at 37 weeks and my OB said that i could have them do xrays as long as i wore that big lead apron and had them cover my thyroid. double-check with your OB at your next appointment to see what he/she says about xrays and the growth, but in the meantime you should schedule an appointment with your dentist. hope it's nothing serious.

See the dentist ASAP. In the mean time...take calcium with vit. D. My doctor had me on Caltrait Plus with Vit.D. Also keep your teeth and gums extrememly clean. Use listerine and brush your teeth with baking soda first, then brush them again with toothpaste. (Crest is really good, although it does tingle.) Baking soda in the toothpaste doesn't work as well as straight baking soda, since baking soda is activated by moisture/water. The baking soda in the toothpaste has already been activated, so it's useless.

Look up 'pyogenic granuloma' on a google search, search for pictures and you can see if that's what you have. I had one on my finger, but I know they occur in the mouth with pregnancy. They can bleed a lot. The doctor tried to freeze mine off twice, didn't work, but it shrank down after birth.

You need a dentist's professional evaluation/advice. I would make the dental appointment now, ahead of time, to coincide with when your husband's dental insurance becomes effective.

As a Dental Hygiene Student having just learned about pyogenic granulomas, I second Lisa and Luz. IT's nothing to worry about, but you should definetly have your teeth cleaned. the bacteria in your mouth can affect your baby's birth weight and make you go into early labor when you have pregnancy gingivitis.

Hi J.,
I am a dental hygienist and what you could probably have is pregnancy gigivitis and you could get a growth between your inter dental papilla which is the gum between your teeth and it is called a pregnancy tumor nothing to be worried about. The problem is many women tend not to visit the dentist while pregnant and it is the most important time to get your teeth cleaned. Due to the hormones while your pregnant it effects your gums so it is extra important to brush 2-3 x per day with a soft bristle toothbrush, floss every night and mouth wash. Your gums will go back to normal especially after you give birth. Congratulations and hope I was of some help.

L. R.D.H. (registered dental hygienist)

Hi J.,
I have to say that I had very sensitive gums and bleeding gums while pregnant along with bloody noses and a slew of other crazy stuff that all went away during the pregnancy or shortly after. The headaches were really bad too. All these crazy things were worth it.
Good luck with the pregnant you! I wish you all the best,
J.

Hi J.,
It sounds as if you need to go to the dentist and get a cleaning. Bleeding and puffy gums is a common thing during pregnancy and the plaque loves to get in every crack and crevice making things worse for you. Even still, prevention is the best cure. I have an Oral B Triumph, I love it! I use it once a day in between manually brushing my teeth. Floss, if you can, it helps to strengthen your gums as well as clean in between your teeth. Use Listerine. At first it will sting, but after a few times you will be used to it and your gums will start to heal. But the Oral B Triumph is the best advice I can give you. It costs about $120, but is worth it in the long run. I have had mine for 3 yrs. and the cost can easily wipe out the cost of a copay everytime you visit the dentist to deal with issues and you'll have a cleaner mouth with beautiful teeth and gums. I would be a spokesperson for the toothbrush if I could.

I would check with your reg. Dr. You might have a gum infection.. They have this peroxide rinse that is good for anything having to do with the mouth. Your dr. can give you a presciption for it.. if it's a type of infection.. call the reg. dr. good luck

My doctor told me this is very common. I had problems with my teeth/gums during pregnancy, and my gums would bleed, but it didn't hurt. I think it's normal because of the hormone changes in your body. I had to get a deep cleaning after pregnancy and now my gums/teeth are fine. I think that you'll have to wait until after the baby is born though to get treatment (because of the stuff they inject in your gums), maybe even after you're done breastfeeding if you plan on doing that.

I have been a dental hygienist for about 28 years. Sounds like you have pregnancy gingivitis. Has it been a long time since your last cleaning? Does this"growth" bleed easily when you brush? Treatment will most likely be cleaning out the area. Of course, realize that the best thing would be for you to have it checked when you can. If you are unable to see a dentist right away, speak to your OB/Gyn about it. Good luck.