Pregnant Women Often Face Obstacles to Dental Care

May 8, 2013 — Although dental care during pregnancy is safe and beneficial, pregnant women face barriers to obtaining it, including a reluctance by dentist to treat pregnant patients, the New York Times' "Well" reports.

A lack of dental care during pregnancy can have serious consequences on women and their children. For example, untreated gingivitis, which affects 60% to 75% of pregnant women, can escalate to periodontal disease, which in turn can lead to tooth loss if untreated. Additionally, a woman with active tooth decay could spread harmful bacteria to her child through saliva.

According to "Well," dentists might be wary of treating pregnant women because they fear litigation or effects on the fetus, they are not up to date on current practices, or they were taught in dental school to avoid treating women during pregnancy. According to a 2009 study, 77% of 351 ob-gyns surveyed reported that their patients had been "declined dental services because of pregnancy."

A few state organizations and dental associations since have issued practice guidelines outlining which dental procedures are safe during pregnancy. For example, the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center at Georgetown University last September published guidelines urging ob-gyns to check patients for bleeding gums or oral infection and refer women to a dentist if their last visit was longer than six months ago. The guidelines also urged dentists to provide emergency care in any trimester and consult an ob-gyn if necessary.

Even when dental care is available, many pregnant women do not seek it, according to "Well." Utilization rates for dental services are low among Medicaid beneficiaries who are eligible for the coverage. For example, only 28% of pregnant women in Oklahoma and 41% of pregnant women in New York who were eligible for Medicaid dental benefits used those services.

Stefanie Russell -- a dentist at New York University -- said addressing the issue will require a coordinated effort among ob-gyns and dentists to reach pregnant women. "[T]hings will change when women realize dental care is their right during pregnancy," she said (Saint Louis, "Well," New York Times, 5/6).