Women's dental health · pregnancy
Dental care during pregnancy
Dental treatment and dental x-rays are both safe during pregnancy, and local anaesthetic is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Tell us you are pregnant, even if you have not told anyone else, because it changes how we plan the appointment. Many women find the second trimester most comfortable.
Tell us, even if you have not told anyone else
That phrasing is the Australian Dental Association's, and it is worth repeating because so many people wait. You do not need to be ready to announce a pregnancy to tell a dental clinic about one. It is clinical information, it stays with the clinical team, and it changes practical things: what we plan for the appointment, how long you spend in the chair, and how we position you.
If you would rather not say it out loud at the front desk, write it on the medical history form or tell the dentist once the door is closed. Either is completely normal.
What is safe, and what does the guidance actually say?
The short version, from the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel and the Australian Dental Association: dental treatment and dental x-rays are both safe during pregnancy, and local anaesthetic is safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
That surprises people, because the instinct is to postpone everything. Postponing has its own cost: a small problem at four months is a bigger problem at nine, and nobody wants an emergency in their third trimester. What changes in pregnancy is the planning around the appointment rather than whether you can have one.
Two pages go into this properly: is dental treatment safe during pregnancy, and dental x-rays during pregnancy.
What changes in your mouth during pregnancy?
- Your gums react more. Hormonal changes make gums respond more strongly to the same plaque, so bleeding and swelling are common, usually appearing around the second trimester. Pregnancy gingivitis covers what to do about it.
- Morning sickness brings acid onto your teeth. Repeated vomiting or reflux wears enamel. There is a right and a wrong way to handle it afterwards, and most people do the wrong one. Morning sickness and tooth enamel explains it.
- Cravings and grazing change the risk. It is not the amount of sugar so much as how often, because each time resets the acid attack. Rinsing with water afterwards helps more than people expect.
- A lump can appear on the gum. A red, lumpy growth called a pregnancy epulis can develop and is usually harmless, but have it looked at rather than assuming.
When should you come in?
Many women find the second trimester the most comfortable window. Nausea and gagging are more common in the first trimester, and later on, lying back for any length of time is harder.
That is a preference, not a rule. If something hurts, come when it hurts, at any stage. Pain and infection are not improved by waiting, and an untreated dental infection is worth avoiding while pregnant rather than tolerating.
If you are planning a pregnancy rather than already pregnant, the useful appointment is the one before. Planning a pregnancy sets out what is worth getting done first.
Gum health and pregnancy outcomes, stated carefully
Public health guidance in Australia describes a link between severe gum disease in pregnancy and premature birth with low birth weight, and the Australian Dental Association also mentions pre-eclampsia.
That is an association described in guidance rather than a simple chain of cause and effect, so we do not claim that gum treatment protects a pregnancy. What is uncontroversial is narrower and still worth acting on: gum disease is more likely to flare during pregnancy, it is easier to treat early, and having healthy gums is good for you regardless of what it does or does not do for anything else. Our gum disease page explains what is reversible and what is not.
Cost, and the option that is not us
In Victoria, pregnant people are listed as a priority group for public dental care, which means being offered the next available appointment rather than joining the general waiting list, where you are otherwise eligible. Eligibility for public dental care generally depends on holding a concession card.
We would rather tell you that than not. If public care suits your situation better, take it. If you would rather be seen here, you will get a written, itemised quote before anything is done, and we claim on the spot through HICAPS if you have extras cover. Our dental costs page explains how our fees work.
Who you will see
Principal dentist Dr Fatima Kurnaz is a general dentist rather than a registered specialist, and she reviews the clinical information on these pages. If you would prefer to see a female dentist, say so when you book and we will arrange it: seeing a female dentist explains how that works here.
Tell us how you are feeling on the day rather than pushing through. Appointments can be shortened, split, rescheduled or paused, and asking for that is not an inconvenience.
Other questions people ask
Should I tell the dentist I am pregnant?
Yes, and as early as you are comfortable. The Australian Dental Association puts it plainly: tell your dentist even if you have not told anyone else. It changes how an appointment is planned, and it stays between you and the clinical team.
Is it safe to have dental treatment while pregnant?
Yes. Dental treatment and dental x-rays are both described as safe during pregnancy by the Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel, and local anaesthetic is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. What changes is the planning, not whether care happens.
When is the best time to come in?
Many women find the second trimester most comfortable. Nausea and gagging are more common early on, and lying back for a while is harder late in pregnancy. If something hurts, come whenever it hurts.
My gums have started bleeding. Is that normal in pregnancy?
It is common, and common is not the same as ignore it. Hormonal changes make gums react more strongly to plaque, and bleeding usually appears around the second trimester. It responds well to treatment, so have it looked at rather than waiting it out.
Can I use fluoride toothpaste while pregnant?
Yes. Keep using a regular fluoride toothpaste, with an extra soft brush if your gums are tender.
Do I have to pay if I am pregnant?
Not necessarily. In Victoria, pregnant people are a priority group for public dental care, which means the next available appointment rather than the general waiting list, if you are otherwise eligible. We will tell you about that option even though it is not us.
Will I need to lie flat?
Not if that is uncomfortable. Later in pregnancy, lying flat on your back can feel unpleasant, so the chair is adjusted, appointments are kept shorter, and you can ask to sit up at any point.