Pregnancy can take a very big toll on women's bodies. From morning sickness to swelling, many women undergo a lot of health issues throughout the nine months they are carrying their child. While some of the health problems seem "normal" for pregnancies, there are times when women have extreme physical side effects.
Unsplash | Juan Encalada
Mom Who Lost Her Teeth During Pregnancy Uses Social Media To Destigmatize Dentures
While it's not spoken about often, pregnancy can also impact your teeth.
Unsplash | Diana Polekhina
Many women hear about hair loss and stretch marks during pregnancy, but not many of them hear about dental issues during this time.
In fact, dental issues and pregnancies are not abnormal.
Unsplash | Cassidy Rowell
According to research, high levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen during pregnancy can temporarily loosen the tissues and bones that keep your teeth in place.
Recently, one TikTok user and mother shared her story to showcase the realities behind this.
TikTok user Alicia, who goes by Princess Glitterhead on social media, shared a TikTok video in which she takes out her dentures to destigmatize tooth loss caused by pregnancy.
The videos she posted challenging others to share their stories have reached 10-million views.
She showcased that she wears a full set of dentures and has no problem taking them out to show the world that she is, in fact, missing her teeth.
Alicia shared with BuzzFeed that she lost her teeth during pregnancy.
"During my pregnancy, my teeth rapidly began to decay — from the inside out. Both of my eye teeth broke off at the gum line a week or so apart from each other," she said.
The loss was something that took a serious toll on her.
"I remember laying in my yard feeling like my life was over. I would never be respected. I would never be pretty. My husband might leave me. He married me with perfect teeth and within a year I was already missing teeth," she continued.
After her third and fourth pregnancies, her dental health got worse.
"When we had baby number three and baby number four, my upper bridge abscessed, causing my whole face to swell up. I only had six lower front teeth left and they were rapidly decaying, chipping, and breaking. Always hurting," she explained.
Eventually, she found a dentist who would do the dental work for her and make her custom dentures.
Now Alicia is sharing her story with the world for a reason.
"We don’t have to hate ourselves for needing dentures, no matter what the reason. There is no reason to feel shame for fixing something about yourself that will improve the quality of your life," she said.
She wants others to know they're not alone and they shouldn't be ashamed.
"Our children deserve parents who smile at them. We deserve to feel love and be happy. We have the power to make this decision the best thing we ever did for ourselves," she continued.
We love this!
h/t Buzzfeed
Filed Under:
Most Popular
