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If you are trying for a baby? Get flossing!

07/07/2011

First, an admission here; I’ve always been a flossing fan, not because I’m fanatical about dental hygiene, but because I have slight gaps in between my back teeth, and it’s just so annoying and uncomfortable when bits of food get stuck. I can’t concentrate on what I’m doing – I start poking around with a finger nail (not a good look) or trying to force out the offending bit of  debris with my tongue.

So amongst all the other junk that is buried in my handbag (tissues, lipstick, credit cards, loose change, an oyster card, and oh yes, a stethoscope) there is somewhere a packet of floss, and also some little interdental brushes.

My sister - who is a dentist - has praised my flossing habit; she said it would help stop me getting bleeding gums and bad breath. Then last year I read that it could help prevent heart disease, and now I read that it has been one of the reasons why I managed to get pregnant exactly when I wanted to. Because gum disease has now been linked with not exactly infertility, but taking longer to conceive.

A study done in Australia found that in a group of women who had good dental hygiene conception took an average of 5 months, whilst those with bad gums took 7 months. In non –Caucasian women (i.e. non- white) women, the effect of bad gums was even worse – they took an average of a year to conceive.

The cause if thought to be the bacteria that thrive in dental plaque – the gunk that sits on your teeth, and that you should remove when you clean your teeth properly. It contains millions of little bugs that then cause inflammation in the gums. Actually, not just in the gums – it now looks as if they somehow cause inflammation elsewhere in the body as well – including the reproductive tract, which can then impair your fertility. It could also account for why there is a slight link between inflamed gums, miscarriage and premature birth. The coronary arteries can be affected to – hence the link with heart disease.

Flossing is key to all this because so many people forget that teeth have four surfaces that reach down to the gums (which is where all the trouble starts). Cleaning your teeth with a standard toothbrush - even if it’s a whizzy electrical affair - can only clean two sides properly. To get to the surfaces in between the teeth you need special apparatus – either floss, or dental tape, which is a bit thicker.

Best of all are little interdental brushes – use the biggest you can to get through the gap – which may mean having a selection of different sizes.  If you gums start bleeding, don’t stop – it means they are already inflamed, which means they need extra attention. And make sure you see your dentist or a hygienist once every 6 months for a really professional clean. 

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