How bad is it not to not brush my teeth?

[Teethdilema]

I’m currently 10 weeks pregnant and feeling very sick. Brushing my teeth is guaranteed to make me vomit.

I am currently managing once a day - if I try and do it as bed time I end up throwing up a lot and feel even grubbier.

I’m usually so good with teeth brushing and hygienist visits etc. so very worried about the damage I’m doing.

Has anyone else not been able to brush much and what was the outcome?

Can you use a wet flannel and your finger? That would be a good substitute until you can handle a tooth brush again.

@Aquamarine1029 its the taste and smell of toothpaste which is getting to me. I have tried with no toothpaste but not sure it does much!

For me, awful. My gums go really bad If I don’t brush / tepe / mouthwash everyday. Other people might be more robust.

Pregnancy weakens your enamel. You're at far greater risk of cavities while pregnant than at other times. So, very important. Hold your breath and get it done. Toothpaste is important as the typical flouride application is key. See if you can find some other flavor or something.

Have you tried kids toothpaste? The strawberry stuff if it's still available might be more bearable.

The is a specialist mouth wash you can use instead.

Can you try a non mint toothpaste? Superdrug do a coconut one. I’m sure one of the main brands does a ginger one. Or kids toothpaste is quite often flavoured.

Obviously it’s not as good as brushing but it’s better than nothing.

Have you tried using bicarb instead of toothpaste? It works very well.

You gotta really careful with your teeth when you are pregnant, think they are more susceptible to plague and stuff, that’s why you get free dental treatment when you are pregnant.
is there like some special toothpaste that has no flavour or something?
hopefully though your sickness will pass in a couple of weeks and it will be ok!

Better to brush with with no tooth paste - it's the action of the bristles which has the most effect. In the meantime if you can bear chewing gum this encourages saliva which is great after a meal, and use floss or tee-pee stick as often as you can.

The brushing is the important part, not the toothpaste, so definitely brush paste-free 😊

Ok thank you - good to know. I will try and get a kids toothpaste and get through it.

I was worried the vomiting would be even worse for my teeth tbh!

Have you tried kids strawberry flavoured toothpaste . You might find the taste is not so harsh .
Can you still use mouth wash ? There a lemon and strawberry ones too . Even a salt mouth wash . Not ideal , but better than nothing .

Can you change toothpaste to one less offensive?
I know what you mean, toothpaste makes me throw up when I’m feeling nauseous too, but some brands are worse than others for me - Sensodyne is best.

I was exactly the same during early pregnancy op, and used to skip brushing at bedtime as it was guaranteed to make me vomit afterwards and into the night, and I'd bring up all my dinner. I figured the acid from the constant vomiting for hours afterwards was probably worse than skipping brushing on an evening. Plus, if I was sick, I'd have to brush my teeth again and start the cycle, so I just went without, and made sure I did them extra well on a morning. As PP said a damp flannel over teeth and gums if you can't stand it will get rid of any surface build up. It's not ideal, but neither is doing something you know will make you vomit, when you're trying to keep down as many nutrients as possible during pregnancy. I ended up on cyclizine as my pregnancy sickness got unbearable with dc1, and I lost a considerable amount of weight, when I should have been gaining.aybe just avoid high sugar, acidic foods and drinks during this period. Hope you feel better soon!

That's not true. What can happen is that the change in pregnancy hormones can cause gingivitis & issues with gums, which could lead to gum disease.

www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/bleeding-gums/

Get Oranurse toothpaste. It's got no flavour.

Try watching yourself brushing in a mirror

So much false information.
Pregnancy does not weaken enamel
Some women find it difficult to brush due to nausea
Some women vomit a lot which can cause erosion
Pregnancy can increase the risk of gum disease which is why dental treatment is free.
The most important part of brushing is not the physical brushing it’s the fluoride in the toothpaste and then the mechanical removal of plaque.
Try and find a toothpaste flavour you can manage that has fluoride.
In saying that if you can manage brushing with fluoride at least once a day you should be fine.

And I seem to have lost all ability to punctuate in that post. I hope it makes sense and you feel better soon!

Sainsburys do their own brand kids berry flavour
I can't tolerate mint so I use it most of the time, and it's got adult level fluoride

Try oranurse unflavoured toothpaste.
When brushing your teeth breathe deeply through your nose.
Try a strawberry toothpaste

Perhaps try a water flosser like this
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09LS49MH7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Not the complete answer, but it does help if you can't brush.

I think you’re being a bit U but ultimately it’s your life

there’s different types of toothpaste on the market that taste/smell of different things so it’s not a blanket toothpaste issue

you run the risk of bad breath, decay, gum bleeding etc if you don’t brush. I assume this will be more damaging than throwing up. At least you can rinse away the vomit within seconds, but the plaque etc will remain on your teeth for several hours in comparison