Yikes! Another Cavity!

We poor mothers! From the time baby arrives, we are constantly running. We are so incredibly busy with the child rearing, the jobs, the significant others, and the never-ending to-do list, that we stress so much about getting everything done and often forget to take time out to do some of the most basic things for ourselves, right? Like brushing our teeth. Well, actually that's wrong. According to my dentist, that's probably not the reason why I had to get yet another cavity filled today.

I swear, I never had the slightest hint of a cavity before giving birth. Now all of a sudden, I seem to have a new one every time my dentist sees me. What's crazier is that when I told my dentist about how I have been so busy being a mom that I cannot seem to ever get with the full-on brush-and-floss-after-every-meal-or-at-least-rinse dental program, she shed some very interesting light on the subject:

Studies show that hormone changes during pregnancy can negatively affect the gumline and contribute to tooth decay. Furthermore, stomach size decreases as our unborn baby increases in size. And to compensate, frequent small meals and sugary snacks sustain us throughout the last trimester. These are oral changes that can reverse once our baby is born or they can create a snowball effect and continue long after pregnancy.

And here I was, thinking that I just needed to pay more attention to myself. (You know, a few more pedicures, another pair of skinny jeans and perhaps one of those sleek, expensive toothbrushes).

Alas, I stand corrected.