Marriage is a beautiful thing and wedding preparation is one of the most interesting part of the whole ceremony. Starting from the joyous time of finding true love, to the fantastic era of courtship and the period of family endorsement; the excitements from the intending couples usually know no bounds. We all know that most people engage in a lot of preparations before fully entering into this lifelong union.

One may not consider adding dental appointments to wedding preparation as necessary, but those who have had nasty experiences triggered by stress of wedding planning would attest to its importance. I have seen a bride who had severe toothache on her wedding day because she failed to attend to her dental need on time, it was a terrible experience for her and her family; I have heard of a groom whose toothache became aggravated by crushing of bones after engagement ceremony just few minutes to church program.

Dental problems can develop without being noticed and progress extremely quickly with or without pain or any other form of unpleasant discomforts. Mouth odour (which is the third major reasons why many couples attend dental clinics) can affect communication and kissing, poor oral hygiene can affect one’s aesthetics and psychology, untreated holes on the teeth can suddenly and progressively cause mild-moderate–severe pain overnight.

The intending couples are expected to run some specific medical tests such as Blood group, Genotype, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and possible genetic /chronic medical conditions. Benefits of running such tests include: it gives background information pertaining to the health status of intending couples; it positions intending couples in such a way to prevent unpleasant medical conditions that could cause disappointment and frustration in marriage; it helps individuals take precautionary measures against unforeseen medical circumstances that may come up in this lifelong commitment. However, dental check-up is often overlooked by many. By the time you go through this article, you would agree with us that one’s wedding preparation is not complete if one doesn’t add Dental Check-up to one’s To-Do-List.

By keeping on top of your dental check-ups and dental cleanings you’re doing yourself a big favour in the long run because prevention is better than cure. Routine dental visits or periodic dental appointments will not only provide the necessary therapy for vulnerable teeth, but will also create the atmosphere for the oral health education session that is critical to the prevention of oral diseases and promotion of oral health. Dental treatment options that the females can receive differ before, during, and after pregnancy. Indiscriminate use of drugs during pregnancy is prohibited, thus it is wise for one to attend to some dental needs before the nuptials.

In a twinkle of an eye, the newly wedded couple would start basking in the euphoria of the new contract, pregnancy occurs and the whole journey takes a new dimension. The risk of developing gum disease increases in pregnancy due to hormonal changes in the body and this in turn, can affect the health of your unborn baby.

If you have gone for dental check-up during the wedding preparation, the dentists would have given you some tips to help you maintain good oral health before pregnancy.

So dear, try to make a dental appointment before getting pregnant. That way, your teeth can be cleaned professionally, gum tissue examined carefully, and any dental problem can be treated in advance. Preventive dental cleanings are the safest. Cosmetic procedures and teeth whitening which are considered elective treatments, would be postponed until after delivery of the baby. During pregnancy, it is best to avoid this dental work and avoid exposing the unborn baby to any risks no matter how minimal it may appear,

In a recent study, oral infections such as gum disease has been linked to preterm birth. During third trimester, it may be very difficult for a pregnant woman to lie on her back for a long period of time. Also, if non-emergency dental work is needed during the third trimester, it is usually postponed until after the birth. This is to generally avoid the risk of prolonged time lying on the back and premature labour. The safest course of action is to postpone all unnecessary dental work until after the birth.

Here is a touching story:

A bride with toothache was in so much pain on her wedding day that she

had to go for emergency treatment mid-wedding

UK bride Stacey Rogers faced a wedding disaster on her special day; she developed a toothache which was so painful that she ended up getting sick into a champagne bucket.

Stacey woke up at 3:00 am on her wedding morning in agony and even considered calling her dream day off. However the couple were reluctant to do so as their family and friends had spent a lot of money to make the day special.

Stacey told the Daily Record:

“I smiled through the ceremony then went to the reception but by this time the pain was unbearable. I told Bryan I’d have to go home there and then.”

After it was announced that the evening reception party would have to continue on without the bride, one of the guests came to the rescue. Stacey’s 14-year-old nephew Lewis remembered that team-mate Callum’s dad is a dentist. He contacted Callum via Facebook explaining the situation. Callum’s father came to the rescue and opened up his surgery immediately to treat the unfortunate bride.

Stacey says:

“It was half past six on a Saturday. Who else would have done that?

Ritchie was brilliant. I was throwing up in a
champagne bucket by then and even outside Ritchie’s surgery – in my wedding dress – I was being sick.”

Ritchie managed to reduce the pain within an hour and Stacey was ready to return to the reception and dance the night away.

The kind-hearted dentist said:

I was happy to help Stacey in her hour of need. She was certainly the most glamorous patient I have ever treated in my
25 years as a dentist.”

In conclusion, to prevent unnecessary stress and burden during marriage we therefore advise that intending couples add Dental Check-up to their To-Do-List during wedding planning. We hope your wedding day is beautiful, we know it would be stressful, but it will be worth it. The wedding is one of the most special moments in your life! Don’t let toothache spoil the fun for you.