Baby Life Topic

When you think of mouth hygiene, you can do a number of other things to maintain good mouth hygiene and mouth health over and above the standard teeth brushing. During pregnancy, your mouth is affected by hormonal and immune changes, which benefits from special care and attention.

One effective method of reducing the bacteria that cause bad breath and plaque, is to use a tongue cleaner every morning when you first get up. The copper version has been traditionally used and promoted in Ayurvedic self-care practices. 

In the morning before you first drink or eat is a great time to brush your teeth. This removes the bacteria and build up in your mouth from your overnight sleep. This is especially important if you tend to mouth breathe when asleep. 

In relation to toothbrushes, they need to be changed regularly for their bristles to remain effective and also because they can build up a profile of mould and bacteria over time. If you are concerned about your toothbrush being unsanitary, you can buy sanitising covers, store your toothbrush where it can dry out after each use and don't store it near your toilet. Shutting your toilet lid before you flush and keeping the lid closed until the next use, will cut down on the airborne droplets containing particles travelling within the bathroom or toilet room.

Flossing is one of the more important mouth care activities you can do every day to improve your teeth and gum health. During pregnancy, your gums can bleed more readily, however, the act of flossing helps to balance your mouth health by introducing oxygen into the gum areas where oxygen hating bacteria tend to multiply and by cleaning off the hard to reach surfaces of the teeth. If you don't know how to floss properly, there are many instructional videos on YouTube, including this one. 

Flossing can easily be done at night before you brush your teeth as part of your bedtime routine or you can floss while in the shower or bath. Having self-care practices that you do as part of your rising and settling routines helps your body to activate your alerting and sleep time pathways. If you are at all concerned about the eco-credentials of the supermarket brand floss, you can try alternative floss brands from Biome Eco Stores.

With more awareness around the chemicals used in everyday products and the environmental impact of these frequently used products, there is an increasing number of eco-friendly and body-friendly toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash options you can switch to and try out.

Please note: Above all, any information on this website aims to provide general ideas for informational and educational purposes only. We encourage users to investigate several information sources, including, where necessary, independent individualised medical advice before making any decisions that could affect you or your child’s health or wellbeing.

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