Being a mother isn’t without its problems already – but something that also needs to be addressed is called pre-eclampsia!
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that can arise without any known cause – it affects a portion of pregnant women by raising blood pressure, causing headaches, and ultimately affecting your baby. However, there are a lot of risk factors (pre-existing things that can raise the chance of getting something else) that have been suspected to be related to pre-eclampsia. I was reading an online health article not too long ago that mentioned the relationship between good oral health and pre-eclampsia! Who would’ve thought?
When I went to my dentist recently, I asked about this and she confirmed that there had been some recent medical studies showing that periodontal disease (severe inflammation of the gums from plaque bacteria) was a risk factor for pre-eclampsia. Apparently, when your immune system is activated by periodontal disease, other systems in your body can become inflamed as well – raising your blood pressure and putting you at risk of being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.
My dentist told me that avoiding pre-eclampsia was extremely important when pregnant – not only can it affect you, your baby might have a higher chance of being premature! A few pointers to avoiding this involves making sure your oral health is in check first. Proper brushing and a healthy and consistent diet can help lower your chance of being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. With this knowledge, you can help ensure that you and your baby have the best possible outcome!
Pregnancy and Me 