A lot changes when you start a family. For one, your outlook and finances will never be the same again. And, that’s before you tackle the toll pregnancy can have on your body. While some women seem to spring back, most of us can say hello to stretch marks and a new inability to bounce on a trampoline fear free. Luckily, there is one consolation in all this stretching, aching, and changing, and it comes in the form of your maternity exemption certificate. For whilst your body will certainly take a bashing both during and after pregnancy, you do get free health and dental care for the duration of your pregnancy and a year beyond it – hurrah!
Of course, the healthcare benefits are usually spent on pregnancy-related prescriptions, vaccinations, and beyond anyway. But, where dentistry is concerned, that simple certificate could spell an entirely new stage of your journey. Forget scraping to afford your checkups, the moment that certificate lands on your doorstep, you should be sure to treat yourself, and your teeth, in the following ways.
Keep on top with your checkups
Pregnancy is littered with checkups, right? You’ve got midwife appointments, scan dates, and often a whole lot between. As such, it’s all too easy to let your dental checks fall by the wayside. But, with a maternity certificate to hand, you really shouldn’t let things slide here. On a basic level, that’s because pregnancy can also lead to shifts in your dental makeup/health. But, let’s be frank; the main reason is that those checks are finally free! Even better, any issues that do arise during this time will be free, too. It’s the ideal way to get your teeth in check at last, all without leaving yourself out of pocket.
Take this chance to refresh
This is also a fantastic time to refresh any dental treatments you’ve had in the past. Fillings only last so long, after all, and removing old fillings that may cause cancer is becoming an increasing priority as we become aware of the risks. Equally, caps need updating at least every ten years to remain intact. The bad news is that these are steps we often fail to take due to the expense connected with them. So, why not take this chance to finally get around to these basics? Do note that your certificate only really applies to essential treatments, but if you present these needs as essentials to your dentist, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting them free, too.
Book in with a hygienist
In an ideal world, we should visit a hygienist almost as often as we head to our standard dentist. They offer cleaning advice and services that can certainly help our teeth stay healthier in the long-term. But, with dentist costs already on your shoulders and most hygienist appointments costing double that, most of us don’t bother. Lucky for you, hygienist appointments are also catered for with your maternity certificate, so this is your chance to feast at the buffet for nothing. Even better, you’ll be able to enjoy healthier gums (pregnancy aside), professional cleaning, and even whitening for gnashers like never before.
Use this incentive to stop ignoring those niggles
We all slip into the bad habit of ignoring dental niggles now and again. It may be that you have a sensitive tooth you’ve been covering up, or perhaps you’ve been in a fair amount of dental discomfort for a while. It may be that your gums bleed when you brush, and it’s been on your mind, but, hey, life’s too short, and finances are too stretched to deal with it, right? Well, your maternity exemption certificate can also prove the ideal incentive to help you stop ignoring those warning signs at last. After all, this is the only time in your life that you can access necessary treatments for free. And, you’ve got a limited time in which to do so. If that’s not enough to see you picking up the phone at last, we don’t know what is.
Too often, we let our teeth fall by the wayside while we’re worrying about all that other pregnancy-related stuff, but now is not the time to let that happen. Free dental care is a significant pregnancy perk that you should be making the most of. Even if you can’t make time during your pregnancy itself (which you definitely should), the year after your baby arrives could be the ideal time to do right by your teeth at last.
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