Many pregnant women neglect oral hygiene and proper dental care. There is a misconception that poor oral health is a normal complication of pregnancy and fear of harming the fetus prevents expectant mothers from visiting a dentist. Obstetricians do not routinely recommend a dental examination and it is estimated only 10 percent of dentists perform all necessary dental treatment during pregnancy. Here are some important facts:

Beginning in the second or third month of gestation approximately 50 percent of women experience gingivitis due to increased hormone production, and roughly half of those women do not seek dental care.

A study of 823 women at 13 to 21 weeks of gestation did not show any adverse fetal outcomes when periodontal disease was treated with scaling and root planning using local anesthetic.

Proper treatment of gingivitis and maintenance of oral hygiene may help reduce the incidence of pre-term birth or low birth weight babies.

Local anesthetics are safe during pregnancy. However, proper aspiration is of particular importance to prevent inadvertent intravascular injection.

Prenatal dental x-rays deliver a small dose of radiation that has not been shown to be associated with any adverse fetal abnormalities.

Dental care and hygiene are an important part of routine pre-natal care and should not be neglected. The authors of this article conclude, "Good oral health during pregnancy is important to the overall health of both expectant mothers and their babies".

Article extracted from Ontario Dentist Magazine – Sep 09