Oral Health and Pregnancy

Having good oral health is important for your well-being and quality of life. Oral health affects your overall health, your pregnancy, and your baby's future health.

What is oral health?

"Oral health" is the health of your mouth, including your teeth, gums, throat, tongue, and the bones around the mouth.

Oral health problems can impact your ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow, and convey emotions. Problems with oral health can even affect your social, emotional, and mental health.

Why is maintaining good oral health important while I'm pregnant?

Oral health affects your overall health. Oral health problems can happen before, during, or after your pregnancy. They can affect the baby growing in your womb, as well as the baby's oral health and general health after birth.

If you have mouth pain or feel uncomfortable about your teeth, it can affect how you interact with your child, health care professionals, caregivers, family members, and people in the community.

Maintaining good oral health is important during pregnancy or if you're planning a pregnancy. Learn more about oral health for adults.

How does my oral health affect my future child's health?

Scientists have found links between poor oral health during pregnancy and health conditions that can affect you and your developing baby.

They include:

• Preterm (premature) birth
• Low birthweight of the infant
• Preeclampsia (a high blood pressure disorder during pregnancy)
• Gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy)

Some pregnancy problems linked with dental and mouth conditions can affect your child's development for years or even a lifetime.

Your oral health can also impact your child's oral health. For example, if you have many untreated cavities or lose some teeth, your future children's risk of cavities is three times higher.³

If you have a lot of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth after you give birth, the bacteria can transfer to your baby's mouth, for example, when you kiss your baby. The bacteria raise the baby's risk of getting cavities at a young age. It's important to prevent cavities in baby teeth to avoid painful infections or tooth loss. Losing baby teeth too soon can cause problems with spacing of permanent teeth.

What can I do to take care of my oral health while pregnant?

You can take action to care for your oral health when you're pregnant.

If your last dental visit took place more than 6 months ago or if you have any oral health problems or concerns, schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible.

• Tell the dental staff that you are pregnant. This information helps staff provide the best care for you.
• Ask your dentist to consult with your obstetrician (pregnancy doctor) if you need medicines or anesthesia. Your obstetrician can give advice about medicines that are safe during pregnancy.
• Ask about products that have little odor or taste. If you have morning sickness (nausea or vomiting), you may be extra sensitive to smells or tastes.

Your dentist can tell you about dental hygiene—the steps you can follow at home for maintaining your oral health.

• Brush your teeth twice a day. Use a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to brush in the morning and before bed. Do not rinse after brushing. The small amount of toothpaste that stays in your mouth is good for the teeth.
• Floss once a day. Flossing cleans between teeth where a toothbrush cannot reach.
• Prevent damage to your teeth from stomach acid. If you vomit or have heartburn, rinse your mouth afterward with a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water.

Talk with your dentist about healthy eating patterns to help protect your oral health and your overall health.

• Eat healthy foods. Eat more whole-grain foods, fruits, vegetables, non-fat or low-fat milk, cheese, cottage cheese, and unsweetened yogurt. Lean meats, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, and nuts are also good choices.
• Drink water. Make sure to get enough water, especially between meals and snacks. Drink tap water that has fluoride.
• Eat fewer sweets and sugary drinks. Avoid candy, cookies, cake, dried fruits, fruit-flavored drinks, pop (soda), and fruit juice.

Learn more about the importance of good nutrition for improving and maintaining oral health.

Are dental procedures safe during pregnancy?

Almost all dental procedures are safe during pregnancy, including:

• Dental exams
• X-rays
• Teeth cleaning and other preventive treatments
• Medicines to numb areas of the mouth
• Dental fillings and crowns
• Dental surgery like root canals

Be sure to tell your dentist if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the near future.

Check with your obstetrician before having a procedure that requires:

• Intravenous (IV) sedation
• Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
• General anesthesia
• Treatment with an antibiotic or a pain medicine

An expert report (PDF) shares tips that can help you take care of your teeth and general health while you're pregnant. The report is also a guide for dental professionals who provide oral health care for pregnant people.

How can I improve my oral health after my baby is born or if I'm planning a pregnancy?

Before you become pregnant or after you give birth, work with your dental team to keep improving your oral health. Tell your dentist if you're trying to become pregnant, if you might be pregnant, or if you're breastfeeding your baby.

Be sure to:

• Get regular dental appointments and check-ups.
• Keep practicing good oral hygiene.
• Take care of any dental work you need to fix problems with your teeth.

Professional cleanings are as important as brushing and flossing at home. They can help you avoid treatment that costs more.

A dentist or dental hygienist can:

• Identify any problems early before they cause unnecessary pain or infection.
• Review your medical history and suggest an oral-care routine.
• Recommend a special toothpaste or mouthwash to help prevent tooth decay and fight germs that cause gum disease. Follow instructions on how to use these items.
• Check your mouth for signs of oral cancer (PDF - 406 KB). A screening for oral cancer—part of a full dental check-up—is painless and takes less than a minute.

Your oral health is linked with your overall health.

You can work with your health care team to take care of your general health:

• Follow a healthy lifestyle, including good nutrition.
• Ask your health care professional about vitamin supplements if you're planning to become pregnant.
• Talk to your health care professional about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It can prevent some cancers of the throat or tongue, as well as certain cancers elsewhere in the body. HPV vaccines are not recommended during pregnancy, so it's best to get the vaccine after you give birth.^5,6 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers recommendations about the timing of HPV vaccine doses.

How can I take care of my child's oral health?

Parents and caregivers influence their children's diet and oral hygiene. Practicing good oral health habits yourself is a good example for your children. It can help them establish a lifetime of good oral health.

Here are a few tips you can take to help care for your baby's oral health.

Care for your baby's teeth and gums

• Clean your baby's gums, even before you see the first tooth, to remove sugars from liquids or food. Use a clean, damp washcloth to wipe the gums.
• Begin brushing as soon as your baby's first tooth begins to show.

Provide your baby with good nutrition

• Feed your baby healthy foods (breastmilk for at least 6 months, if possible).
• Be sure your baby gets enough vitamin D. It helps build strong teeth and bones. Babies who are fed only breastmilk or a combination of breastmilk and infant formula may need a vitamin D supplement. Check with your baby's pediatrician (a doctor who cares for children) about vitamin D drops. Learn more about vitamin D for your child.

Ask your baby's pediatrician for a dentist recommendation

• Ask your baby's pediatrician to check your baby's mouth starting at age 6 months and to recommend a dentist for your baby in case of a dental emergency.
• Take your baby to the dentist when their first tooth comes in (or no later than their first birthday).
• Ask your dentist whether your baby gets enough fluoride from water to help prevent cavities. Babies older than 6 months who drink only breastmilk or infant formula made with well water or bottled water may benefit from fluoride drops or treatments.⁷

Read Tips for Taking Care of Your Child's Oral Health (PDF - 631 KB) to learn more.