Learning you're pregnant can change your life in a heartbeat—or now two. Suddenly, what was important to you just seconds before the news takes a back seat to the reality of a new life growing within you.

But although many of your priorities will change, there's one in particular that shouldn't—taking care of your dental health. In fact, because of the hormonal changes that will begin to occur in your body, your risk of dental disease may increase during pregnancy.

Because of these hormonal variations, you may find you have increased cravings for certain foods. If that includes eating more carbohydrates (especially sugar), bacteria can begin to multiply in your mouth and make you more susceptible to tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease.

The hormones in themselves can also increase your risk of gum disease in particular. There's even a name for a very common form of gum infection—pregnancy gingivitis—which affects around two-fifths of pregnant women. If not treated, it could aggressively spread deeper within the gums and endanger both your teeth and supporting jaw bone.

The key to minimizing both tooth decay and gum disease is to keep your mouth clean of dental plaque, a thin bacterial biofilm most responsible for these diseases. You can do this by keeping up daily brushing and flossing and maintaining regular dental cleanings and checkups. Professional dental care is especially important during pregnancy.

You may, though, have some reservations about some aspects of dental care, especially if they involve undergoing local anesthesia. But many medical organizations including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association recommend dental treatment during pregnancy. Even procedures involving local anesthesia won't increase the risk of harm to you or your baby.

That said, though, elective dental work such as cosmetic enhancements, might be better postponed until after the baby is born. It's best to discuss with your dentist which treatments are essential and should be performed without delay, and which are not. In general, though, there's nothing to fear for you or your baby continuing your regular dental care—in fact, it's more important than ever.

If you would like more information on dental care during pregnancy, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Care During Pregnancy.”

Introduced to the United States in the 1980s, dental implants have quickly become the go-to restoration for tooth replacement. And for good reason: they're not only incredibly life-like, they're highly durable with a 95% success rate.

But as desirable as they are, you may face a major obstacle getting one because of the condition of the bone at your implant site. To position the implant for best appearance and long-term durability, we must have at least 4-5 mm of bone available along the horizontal dimension. Unfortunately, that's not always the case with tooth loss.

This is because bone, like other living tissue, has a growth cycle: Older cells die and dissolve (resorb) and newer cells develop in their place. The forces transmitted to the jaw from the action of chewing help stimulate this resorption and replacement cycle and keep it on track. When a tooth is lost, however, so is this stimulus.

This may result in a slowdown in cell replacement, causing the eventual loss of bone. And it doesn't take long for it to occur after tooth loss—you could lose a quarter of bone width in just the first year, leaving you without enough bone to support an implant. In some cases, it may be necessary to choose another kind of restoration other than implants.

But inadequate bone isn't an automatic disqualifier for implants. It's often possible to regenerate lost bone through a procedure known as bone augmentation, in which we insert a bone graft at the missing tooth site. The graft serves as a scaffold for new bone cells to grow upon, which over time may regenerate enough bone to support an implant.

Even if you've had a missing tooth for some time, implementing bone augmentation could reverse any loss you may have experienced. In fact, it's a common practice among dentists to place a bone graft immediately after a tooth extraction to minimize bone loss, especially if there will be a time lag between extraction and implant surgery.

Bone augmentation could add extra time to the implant process. But if successful, it will make it possible for you to enjoy this popular dental restoration.

If you would like more information on dental implant restoration, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants After Previous Tooth Loss.”

Fans everywhere were recently saddened by the news of musical legend Eddie Van Halen's death. Co-founder and lead guitarist for the iconic rock group Van Halen, the 65-year-old superstar passed away from oral cancer.

Van Halen's rise to worldwide fame began in the 1970s with his unique guitar style and energetic performances, but behind the scenes, he struggled with his health. In 2000, he was successfully treated for tongue cancer. He remained cancer-free until 2018 when he was diagnosed with throat cancer to which he succumbed this past October.

Van Halen claimed the metal guitar picks he habitually held in his mouth caused his tongue cancer. It's more likely, though, that his heavy cigarette smoking and alcohol use had more to do with his cancers.

According to the American Cancer Society, most oral cancer patients are smokers and, as in Van Halen's case, are more likely to beat one form of oral cancer only to have another form arise in another part of the mouth. Add in heavy alcohol consumption, and the combined habits can increase the risk of oral cancer a hundredfold.

But there are ways to reduce that risk by making some important lifestyle changes. Here's how:

Quit tobacco. Giving up tobacco, whether smoked or smokeless, vastly lowers your oral cancer risk. It's not easy to kick the habit solo, but a medically supervised cessation program or support group can help.

Limit alcohol. If you drink heavily, consider giving up alcohol or limiting yourself to just one or two drinks a day. As with tobacco, it can be difficult doing it alone, so speak with a health professional for assistance.

Eat healthy. You can reduce your cancer risk by avoiding processed foods with nitrites or other known carcinogens. Instead, eat fresh fruits and vegetables with antioxidants that fight cancer. A healthy diet also boosts your overall dental and bodily health.

Practice hygiene. Keeping teeth and gums healthy also lowers oral cancer risk. Brush and floss daily to remove dental plaque, the bacterial film on teeth most responsible for dental disease. You should also visit us every six months for more thorough dental cleanings and checkups.

One last thing: Because oral cancer is often diagnosed in its advanced stages, be sure you see us if you notice any persistent sores or other abnormalities on your tongue or the inside of your mouth. An earlier diagnosis of oral cancer can vastly improve the long-term prognosis.

Although not as prevalent as other forms of cancer, oral cancer is among the deadliest with only a 60% five-year survival rate. Making these changes toward a healthier lifestyle can help you avoid this serious disease.

If you would like more information about preventing oral cancer, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “How a Routine Dental Visit Saved My Life” and “Strategies to Stop Smoking.”