Hormonal changes during pregnancy will often worsen oral issues such as gingivitis and more serious gum disease. While 63% of women before pregnancy say their oral health is very good or excellent, that number drops to 55% during pregnancy.
“Dental checkups are so important that most dental benefit plans cover preventative care visits every 6 months with no or low out-of-pocket costs. Some dental benefit plans even have special maternity programs with additional services like extra cleanings or discounts on oral health prescriptions,” said Dr. Miles Hall, Cigna’s chief clinical dental director.
Expecting and new mothers who took advantage of dental maternity programs through their benefits plan had better oral health habits than those who did not participate or did not have a program available to them. These improvements in dental hygiene habits may be why 74% of women who are participating or who have participated in a dental benefit plan maternity program rate their oral health as very good or excellent compared to 55% of pregnant women overall, Cigna says.
Despite the links between oral health and overall wellness, many medical professionals fail to discuss dental care with their patients. While 97% of women saw their general doctor or obstetrician during pregnancy as frequently as directed, only 44% said oral health was mentioned during those visits.
And while only 43% of new mothers have had a dental checkup since giving birth, that rises to 63% for women whose doctors discussed oral health during maternity visits. Postpartum dental visits also are key since dental hygiene habits may slip once the baby arrives, as 36% of new mothers say they brush and floss less frequently than before the baby was born mainly due to a lack of time.
The baby’s oral health should be minded as well. Half of new mothers clean their baby’s gums daily, but that increases to 65% for mothers whose pediatricians discussed the baby’s oral health. Good dental hygiene habits with infants cn prevent conditions such as nursing nursing bottle caries or decay.
About the Author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997-2014.
