pediatrics ft myers

Animals Have Chompers, Too

Ever wonder how many teeth certain animals have? How they use them? If they’re any different from ours? Well we have some answers! Let’s take a walk through the wild and discover some fun facts about our animal friends and their pearly whites.

Giraffes: These guys have the same amount of teeth as humans do!- 32 to be precise. The only difference is they have no upper front teeth; most of their teeth are located towards the back of their mouth.

Rabbits: These little fella’s teeth never stop growing! An adult rabbit has about 28 teeth and must chew on tough foods to file their teeth down from getting too long.

Elephants: Their teeth are considered to be their tusks. Like rabbits, their extra long incisors never stop growing.

Sharks: How do you think it would feel to constantly lose teeth? Sharks would know! Each week they lose at least one tooth. Next time you hit the beach, keep an eye out for any shark teeth that wash ashore!

Hippopotamuses: Want to know who has the longest canine teeth of any animal? Look no further. These guys have incisors up to 3 feet long that can cut through the toughest objects!

Mosquitos: Our microscopic friends have microscopic teeth as well. Surprisingly, they have about 15 more teeth than adult humans, making them have a whopping 47 teeth.

Snails: Do you think mosquitos had a lot of teeth? Try 25,000 on these guys! Their microscopic teeth are located not on the top or bottom of their mouth, but on their tongue.

The one thing that most animals have in common? They’re cavity-free! Unlike humans, their diets aren’t high in sugar and they chew on tougher materials than humans do to consistently keep their teeth clean.

 

 

Dental Care Before, During, and After Your Pregnancy

Congratulations on your pregnancy!  The next few months will be a whirlwind of activity – sharing the exciting news with your friends and family, picking out baby names, setting up the perfect nursery – and we’ve got one more task you should add to your to-do list. Get your teeth cleaned.

Oral-Health-Care-While-Pregnant

Before You Get Pregnant

Ideally, if you can, you should have your teeth professionally cleaned before you get pregnant.  That way, your dentist can check for any decay or oral health problems that can be treated in advance of your pregnancy.  Bacteria in your mouth can be directly transferred to your baby, so it’s important to have any issues taken care of before the baby begins growing.

During Your Pregnancy

For precautionary reasons, you should avoid any dental treatments during the first trimester and the second half of the third trimester if possible (barring an emergency).  These are the critical times in your baby’s growth and development.  However, you can receive dental treatment during the second trimester, although any elective dental pregnancies should be postponed until after your baby arrives.

Make sure to always tell your dentist (and any other doctors you visit!) that you’re pregnant, as well as inform them of any medication that you’re taking. They may alter your treatment plan accordingly.  They’ll most certainly avoid taking any dental x-rays (again, barring an emergency).

Even though you and your dentist should be extra careful during your pregnancy, don’t skip the dentist altogether.  Hormonal changes caused during pregnancy put you at risk for pregnancy gingivitis, tender gums that bleed easily.  If you feel tenderness, swelling, or excessive bleeding of the gums, schedule an appointment with your dentist immediately.

Bacteria from your mouth can be transferred to your baby, so you want to keep your own mouth as clean as possible!  Eat a healthy, balanced diet with as little sugar as possible to avoid tooth decay.

***If you suffer from morning sickness, the acid from being sick can be extra harmful to your teeth.  Make sure to rinse your mouth out with water or mouthwash after each time you get sick.  If brushing your teeth causes morning sickness, try switching to a bland-tasting toothpaste.

After Your Pregnancy

Continue with your regular dentist appointments and oral health routine.  A healthy mouth for mom means a healthy mouth for baby.  Research shows that cavities can be contagious, and the #1culprit for transferring bacteria to your baby’s mouth is the mother.