Dental Team's Role in Maternal and Child Oral Health During and After Pregnancy.

ABSTRACT

For a mother-to-be, pregnancy presents an opportunity to improve not only her health and well being but also that of the immediate family, particularly the newborn infant. The National Consensus Statement of the Oral Health Care During Pregnancy Expert Group together with both governmental and non-governmental guidelines indicate that dental care is both safe and effective during pregnancy. These statements and guidelines may not be widely understood across all healthcare providers that form the perinatal care team, and confusion seems to exist among the general public regarding the safety of and necessity for dental care during pregnancy. Only about half of pregnant patients seek care, even those with dental problems. Previous articles in this series have reviewed appropriateness of dental care during a healthy pregnancy and specific steps to be taken in consideration of the altered physiology brought on by pregnancy and the increased risk associated with oral diseases such as changes in periodontal status, dental caries, and acid erosion; communication through the technique of motivational interviewing with patients who are either planning to become or are pregnant; and collaboration with the perinatal team of providers to ensure improved health outcomes for mother and baby. This final article in the series addresses considerations during and after pregnancy to ensure mother and child may follow a pathway to a future of good oral health.