Getting your teeth brushed will go a long way in maintaining your dental health after you've had a baby. One fact that you may not think about is that tooth decay-causing germs from your mouth can be passed on to your baby, by sharing utensils or trying to “clean” a pacifier with your mouth.
Abstinence from brushing after giving birth is absolutely not recommended because it can cause dental diseases later on. Instead, the mother needs to pay attention to maintaining good oral hygiene, eating enough nutrients to quickly recover and increase breast milk.
Oral Hygiene
Brushing the teeth thoroughly twice a day (after breakfast and before bed) with fluoridated toothpaste. Spit out the toothpaste after brushing, but do not rinse with water. The small amount of fluoridated toothpaste that remains in the mouth helps prevent tooth decay.
Calcium deficiency: During pregnancy and after giving birth, a woman's body undergoes hormonal changes, the amount of calcium in the body is reduced by having to share it with the fetus. At this time, the mother's teeth will be attacked by bacteria quite high, causing pain and discomfort.
Women who are breastfeeding are at a higher risk of cavities and gum infections. This is due to the fact that women who breastfeed lose up to 5 percent of their bone mass. There's a good reason for this: much of their calcium goes straight to their little one during feeding sessions.
Regular toothpastes and mouthwashes have a minimal amount of fluoride so they are safe. If your risk for decay is high, we may recommend fluoride varnishes after cleanings to protect the teeth from further decay.
The good news is, dental materials are safe for breastfeeding mothers and won't impact breast milk.
Among the children in the study, 23.9% had severe cavities and 48% had at least one tooth surface affected by a cavity. Kids who were breastfed for two years or longer had a 2.4 times higher risk of having severe cavities, compared to kids who were breastfed for less than a year.
Take on light household chores
Similarly, you should be able to resume day-to-day tasks around the house without much trouble around two weeks after delivery. "But always listen to your body," notes Dr. Raghuraman. "If there is any discomfort, immediately stop and rest."
Loose Teeth
Pregnancy hormones can cause the tissues and bones that keep teeth in place to temporarily loosen. Many women experience a shift in how teeth align in their mouths, which can be frustrating if they had orthodontics in their teen years.
Toothache after giving birth is the suffering of many mothers. The main cause of this condition is usually because during pregnancy, the pregnant mother's body is very sensitive and prone to lack of trace elements, especially calcium, so it can easily lead to tooth sensitivity.
Don't drink alcohol, use street drugs or use harmful drugs. All of these can affect your mood and make you feel worse. And they can make it hard for you to take care of your baby. Ask for help from your partner, family and friends.
Avoid stairs and lifting until your doctor says these activities are OK. Don't take a bath or go swimming until the doctor says it's OK. Don't drive until your doctor says it's OK. Also wait until you can make sudden movements and wear a safety belt properly without discomfort.
If you're still pimply postpartum, here's what you can do: Wash your face twice daily. Use a mild cleanser and warm water. Resist the urge to pick or squeeze.
Think of it as an investment that will pay off greatly as you walk through and beyond the fourth trimester. Prepare for the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed.
The practices during these days may vary depending on which part of the country you are from. But largely, the first 40 days are seen as a confinement period, meant for you to recuperate, gain strength and bond with your new baby. It's quite natural to feel that 40 days is too long.
In almost all non-Western societies, 40 days after birth is seen as necessary for recuperation. Among most non-Western cultures, family members (especially female relatives) provide strong social support and help new mothers at home during this period.
Many women experience common side effects to breastfeeding, such as back pain, chest and wrist pain. Many also experience bruising on the breast, cramping, and Osteoporosis. None of these should stop you from choosing to breastfeed; you should be aware should you start experiencing the symptoms.
No link between breastfeeding and tooth decay.
Research does not show a link between breastfeeding and tooth decay. A large randomised trial by Kramer et al in 2007 followed 13,889 mother baby breastfeeding pairs but found no link between breastfeeding past the baby stage with tooth decay at age six years.
Though every baby is different, many newborns often begin sleeping for longer stretches between 2-4 months postnatal. While most won't sleep through the night for 8 hours or longer until after about 6 months, longer stretches of sleep can be both a blessing and a challenge!
When should I start brushing my baby's teeth? Starting at birth, use a clean, damp washcloth, a gauze pad or a finger brush to gently wipe clean the gums and the front of the tongue after meals and at bedtime — after the last bottle or nursing session.
If you do drink alcohol, don't have more than two drinks a week. Wait at least 2 hours after each drink before you breastfeed. You also can pass street drugs, like heroin and cocaine, to your baby through breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you need help to quit using street drugs.
2. Kissing your baby will change your breast milk. That irresistible urge to plant kisses all over your baby will also help to boost her immune system. When you kiss your baby, you are sampling the pathogens on her skin, which are then transferred to your lymphatic system where you will produce antibodies to any bugs.
Bleeding after birth may last for a while
Bleeding often lasts for around for four to six weeks, but could last up to 12 weeks after your baby's born . If you're worried, you can talk to a health professional. Bleeding will start off heavy and red to browny red.
Take it slowly for your first six weeks postpartum, and stay at a workout intensity at which you can maintain a conversation but not belt out a song. Try to build up to walking three to five times a week for 30 minutes at this exertion level.