Dental care

[Mrsmummy90]

I'm 12+5 and really struggling with brushing my teeth.
Of course I still do it twice a day but I always end up either puking or on the verge of it.

My dentist suggested using a toothpaste with a milder flavour and that's helped a bit but it's still making me sick.

Does anyone have this problem? And if so, what helps?

I use a children’s toothpaste. When it was bad, I would start with my top teeth, on the outside, then the outside of my bottom teeth, then the inside of my top teeth, then the inside of my bottom teeth.

I would use a non-electric toothbrush (used electric for the first time in a long time yesterday! But not taking it for granted!). As soon as I started to feel gaggy because I wasn’t tolerating the toothpaste, I would rinse out my mouth. I would then continue brushing for as long as I could readily tolerate, but no longer. Sometimes my teeth weren’t properly clean. I accepted that this would happen occasionally.

If it was all too much, I’d sit down for a bit with a glass of water. I wouldn’t resume cleaning after I started gagging.

Afterwards, I would rinse with Listerine children’s mouthwash. It’s milder in flavour (I have, on more than one occasion, been brought back from gagging by its flavour!), and formulated for people who aren’t very good at cleaning their teeth!

The toothpaste I use is 6-8+ (tried a few brands - I’ve attached a photo of one of the ones I like. Would avoid Oral B). Some people say a strawberry one is the best, but I can think of nothing worse! (Except maybe a peach one.)

Good luck! It really isn’t easy. You’ll probably find it gets better - mine is almost back to normal (except that I wouldn’t venture to use grown up toothpaste, or my usual favourite) - I’m 18 weeks now.

Thank you so much, that's really helpful!

I had no idea they did a children's mouthwash. I'll have to try it out and see how I get on with it.

It's nice to know I'm not alone with it lol xx

I used Corsodyl everyday (the everyday, not the bleeding gums one) in my pregnancies. Barely any minty taste, more herbal salty. It was the only one I could use.

@Thishatisnotmine I was recommended this by the dentist when I went for my first check up in pregnancy and that along with using an electric toothbrush instead of a manual one has worked wonders for me.

I find I can only brush after eating cause as soon as the brush hits my mouth i start wretching. But when I've eaten it seems to make me less likely to be sick. Strange haha