Oral Health During Pregnancy

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available at no charge; also available from the website.

This resource guide includes information for health professionals to help them provide pregnant women with appropriate and timely oral health care. The guide describes materials, such as brochures and handouts, curricula, guidelines, reports, and tools. It also lists federal agencies, national professional associations, and resource centers that may serve as resources. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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• First Edition

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This brief provides an overview of the status of dental coverage during pregnancy, using data related to Medicaid dental coverage available to pregnant women in each state as of September 2019. Topics include the impact of a woman’s oral health during pregnancy and after birth, barriers to accessing oral health care during pregnancy, oral health coverage for pregnant women through state Medicaid programs, and available data about oral health coverage for pregnant women through Medicaid.

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National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This report explores the oral health requirements of pregnant women as a promising strategy for improving maternal and infant health. The report summarizes presentations of commissioned background papers and other topics, as well as workgroup discussions from a forum convened by the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA's) Maternal and Child Health Bureau, held on December 11-12, 2006, in Washington, DC. The forum was planned in collaboration with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; HRSA's Office of Women's Health; the National Institute of Health's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and Office of Research on Women's Health; and the Office of the Surgeon General. Contents include an overview and purpose; a summary of presentations; and a discussion of future directions for policy, programming, and research. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This pocket guide offers health professionals an overview of preventive oral health supervision during five developmental periods: prenatal, infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. It is designed to help health professionals implement specific oral health guidelines during these periods. For each period, information about family preparation, risk assessment, interview questions, screening, examination, preventive procedures, anticipatory guidance, measurable outcomes, and referrals is discussed. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• View Guide Online Or Download Complete Guide In .pdf

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available at no charge; also available from the website.

This brochure is designed to educate women about the importance of oral hygiene and oral health care during pregnancy. Topics include brushing, flossing, eating healthy foods, and getting dental check-ups and treatment. Additional topics include the impact of hormonal changes during pregnancy on gum health, caring for an infant’s gums and teeth, and finding a dentist. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• Link

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This practice guide provides information to help state Title V maternal and child health programs in their implementation of the national performance measure on oral health (NPM 13) and oral health-related state performance measures. It provides sample strategies for addressing NPM 13.1 (preventive dental visit for pregnant women) and 13.2 (preventive dental visit for children and adolescents). For all strategies, the report presents sample evidence-based or evidence-informed strategy measures (ESMs), possible data sources for ESMs, and a comprehensive list of resources. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This report describes the achievements of 16 projects funded through the PIOHQI initiative to improve oral health for pregnant women and infants, lessons the projects learned, and resources they produced. It provides examples of project achievements and successes in seven strategy areas: network development; workforce enhancement; community outreach; process and procedure development; program development; state practice guidance development; and data collection, evaluation, and reporting. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Telephone: (866) 763-6481
E-mail: health@ecetta.info
Website: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov
Available from the website.

These forms are designed for oral health professionals to record key information from dental visits with children and pregnant women enrolled in Head Start. The forms include space to record dental home status, oral health status, and what oral health care services were delivered during the dental visit (e.g., diagnostic and preventive services, counseling, restorative and emergency care, referral to a specialist for care). The forms also serve as records of what oral health care services are needed and of information to share with others. There are separate forms for children, pregnant women, and both, plus a sample provider letter.

• Link
• Link

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Telephone: (866) 763-6481
E-mail: health@ecetta.info
Website: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov
Available from the website.

This series of handouts for pregnant women and parents of infants and young children provides simple tips on nutrition and oral health issues. Topics include brushing a young child’s teeth, choosing healthy drinks for young children, encouraging young children to drink water, giving young children healthy snacks, taking care of oral health for pregnant women, and taking care of an infant’s oral health. The series is available in English and in Spanish.

• English
• Spanish

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Telephone: (866) 763-6481
E-mail: health@ecetta.info
Website: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov
Available from the website.

This series of tip sheets provides Head Start staff with information on current practice and practical tips to promote good oral health. Topics include teething, fluoridated community water, healthy drink choices, healthy bedtime habits, oral health during pregnancy, and preventing oral disease.

• Link

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This series provides an overview of activities to promote oral health during pregnancy. The series discusses efforts of federal agencies and national, state, and local organizations to launch programs, advance policy, and disseminate Oral Health During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement to ensure that both health professionals and pregnant women are aware of the importance and safety of receiving oral health care during pregnancy. A list of resources focused on promoting oral health during pregnancy and infancy is included. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• Link

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This infographic provides information about benefits of and barriers to preventive dental visits for pregnant women. It discusses the safety of visiting the dentist during pregnancy, Medicaid dental coverage available during pregnancy, physiological changes that occur during pregnancy that may affect oral health, and how receiving oral health services can improve overall health and reduce the likelihood of transmission of cavity-causing bacteria from mothers to young children. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• English
• Spanish

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This report includes a consensus statement that resulted from an expert workgroup meeting held on October 18, 2011, in Washington, DC, convened by the Health Resources and Services Administration in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association. It contains guidance on oral health care for pregnant women for both prenatal care health professionals and oral health professionals, pharmacological considerations for pregnant women, and guidance for health professionals to share with pregnant women. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• Link

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Telephone: (202) 784-9771
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This tip sheet provides information and resources to help women take care of their oral health during pregnancy. Topics include getting oral health care, practicing good oral hygiene, eating healthy foods, and practicing other healthy behaviors. It also encourages women to take care of their infant’s gums and teeth and ask their pediatric health professional to check their infant’s mouth starting at age 6 months. The tip sheet is available in Arabic, Chinese, Chuukese, English, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Samoan, Spanish, and Vietnamese. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• Link

Children's Dental Health Project
1020 19th Street, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Telephone: (202) 833-8288
Fax: (202) 331-1432
E-mail: info@cdhp.org
Website: https://www.cdhp.org
Available from the website.

This infographic and related resources are designed to help health professionals share the message that oral health care is safe and important during pregnancy. Sample images and messages for social media are also available. The infographic is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

• Link
• Infographic Posted To Children's Dental Health Project

Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin
620 South 76th Street, Suite 120
Milwaukee, WI 53214

Telephone: (414) 292-4000
Secondary Telephone: (414) 337-4561
Fax: (414) 231-4972
Website: https://www.chawisconsin.org/
Available from the website.

This report summarizes information from a summit held on September 9, 2015, to discuss strategies for improving oral health for pregnant women and infants in Wisconsin. The report describes five themes supported by both oral health communities and overall health communities: reimbursements and insurance availability, coordination and integration, training, awareness, and practice settings. Contents include a statewide plan to reduce the prevalence of oral disease among pregnant women and infants who are underserved by integrating high-quality oral health care into the health-care-delivery system. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health
250 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02108

Telephone: (617) 624-6060
Secondary Telephone: (617) 624-5992
Fax: (617) 624-6062
Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-oral-health
Available from the website.

These guidelines provide oral health care recommendations and resources for health professionals caring for pregnant women and young children. Contents include information about oral diseases; oral health status among pregnant women and children in Massachusetts and efforts to improve it; and the role of prenatal care health professionals, oral health professionals, and pediatric health professionals in improving pregnant women’s and children’s oral health. Topics include assessing, advising, educating, referring, collaborating, treatment, and management. Resources on medication use during pregnancy, sample referral forms, and reproducible handouts on healthy portion sizes and healthy eating during pregnancy are also provided.

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Maryland Department of Health
201 West Preston Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Telephone: (410) 767-6500
Secondary Telephone: (877) 463-3464
Website: http://www.dhmh.maryland.gov
Available from the website.

This practice guidance provides information on oral health care during pregnancy for oral health professionals and prenatal care professionals in Maryland. It provides information about the oral health of pregnant women and their infants in the state, state statistics on oral health care utilization during pregnancy, clinical practice guidance, a visual guide of oral conditions that can occur during pregnancy, a pharmacological considerations chart, a sample dental referral form, and educational resources to share with pregnant women. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Telephone: (803) 898-3432
Fax: (803) 898-3323
E-mail: info@dhec.sc.gov
Website: http://www.scdhec.gov
Available from the website.

This document presents clinical practice guidelines for the oral health care of pregnant women in South Carolina. The document contains data on infant mortality and preterm birth, oral health care and counseling utilization. It includes recommendations for health professionals and for oral health professionals, referral forms for oral health care, and dentists' reports for prenatal care professionals. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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