Treatment Guidelines
There is clear national consensus on the importance of oral health during pregnancy, an approach to prenatal oral health, and the safety of dental procedures during pregnancy. These are addressed in two key documents:
- 2012 Oral Health Care During Pregnancy Expert Workgroup. Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement-Summary of an Expert Workgroup which was endorsed by both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).
- The 2013 (Reaffirmed 2017) American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion Oral Health Care During Pregnancy and Through the Life Span. This Committee Opinion recommends practitioners:
- Discuss oral health with all pregnant and post-partum patients.
- Conduct an oral health assessment during the first prenatal visit. Reassure patients that oral care is safe during pregnancy and should not be delayed.
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states "A dental checkup early in pregnancy will help ensure that your mouth stays healthy. Pregnant women are at an increased risk for cavities and gum disease".
Click the thumbnail images below to access each guideline document
References
Oral Health Care During Pregnancy and Through the Life Span. Committee Opinion No 569. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. 2013 (Reaffirmed 2017);122:417-22.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Oral Health Practice Guidelines for Pregnancy and Early Childhood. Boston, MA; March 2016.
Oral Health Care During Pregnancy Expert Workgroup. 2012. Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement-Summary of an Expert Workgroup Meeting. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center.
Oral Health During Pregnancy and Early Childhood: Evidence Guidelines for Health Professionals. California Dental Association Foundation. 2010.