Dental care during pregnancy: what treatment is safe and when?

Gums that bleed when you brush, a tooth that hurts in the fifth month, nausea that makes brushing hard: pregnancy changes a lot in the mouth. Can you see a dentist, have a tooth taken out or have a local anaesthetic? This guide answers simply, based on published guidelines and the main studies. It is here to inform you; it does not replace an examination.

Why see a dentist during pregnancy?

Pregnancy does not damage teeth on its own, but it makes the mouth more fragile:

• Gums become inflamed more easily. Pregnancy hormones make the gums more sensitive to dental plaque: they swell, turn red and bleed more readily. This is pregnancy gingivitis (Jawed et al., 2025, PubMed). In a meta-analysis of 20 studies, 67 percent of pregnant women had gums that bled on examination, and this bleeding increased as pregnancy went on (Chen et al., 2022, PubMed).
• Vomiting exposes teeth to acid. Stomach acid attacks the enamel. A recent review points out that severe pregnancy sickness (around 3 percent of pregnancies) increases the risk of tooth decay, acid wear of the teeth and dry mouth (Martin et al., 2026, PubMed).
• Cravings and frequent snacks. Snacking often, especially on sweet things, multiplies the acid attacks on the teeth and encourages tooth decay.

A check-up helps find gingivitis or a cavity early and treat it before it becomes painful. Guidelines recommend an examination and a professional clean every 6 months during pregnancy (Bao et al., 2022, PubMed).

Myths that keep women away from the dentist

"You lose a tooth for every baby", "the baby takes calcium from the mother's teeth", "dental treatment harms the baby": a review of 45 studies shows that these beliefs are common among pregnant women and new mothers (Kamalabadi et al., 2023, PubMed). Another review shows that this fear is one of the main barriers keeping pregnant women away from the dentist (Frey-Furtado et al., 2025, PubMed). In reality, what damages teeth during pregnancy is mainly inflamed gums, untreated decay and acid from vomiting, and all of these can be treated and prevented.

Which dental treatments are possible during pregnancy?

A review of 7 published guidelines found that they all agree: check-ups, prevention, fillings, gum treatment and tooth extractions are safe throughout pregnancy, dental disease should be treated in good time, and dental emergencies can be treated at any time during pregnancy (Bao et al., 2022, PubMed).

Local anaesthetic

A local anaesthetic (the injection that numbs the tooth) avoids pain during treatment. In a study that followed 210 pregnancies exposed to a dental local anaesthetic, 112 of them in the first trimester, the rate of major birth defects was not different from that of the 794 pregnancies they were compared with, and there was no difference in miscarriage, length of pregnancy or birth weight (Hagai et al., 2015, PubMed). The dentist chooses the product and the dose with your pregnancy in mind.

When is the best time?

• Pain, swelling or infection are treated straight away, whatever the month of pregnancy: an infection that lingers is good neither for the mother nor for the baby.
• Treatment that can wait a few weeks is often planned for the second trimester (months 4 to 6), which is usually more comfortable: less nausea than at the start, a smaller bump than at the end.
• Late in pregnancy, appointments are shorter, and you sit tilted slightly to one side or half sitting up.

Always tell the dentist that you are pregnant (or might be), how many months, your medicines and any problem with the pregnancy: the dentist adapts the treatment, in agreement with your doctor if needed.

Dental X-rays during pregnancy

An X-ray is only taken if it is useful for the diagnosis or the treatment. A review of studies published since 1957 concludes that, when properly performed, the dose from a dental X-ray is so low that it is unlikely to reach the level at which effects on the unborn baby appear, and that a necessary dental X-ray can be taken at any stage of pregnancy with the right protection (Flagler et al., 2022, PubMed). If it is not urgent, the dentist may choose to put it off. See also the panoramic dental X-ray.

Medicines: never treat yourself

During pregnancy, do not take any medicine on your own, even one you used before, even for toothache: some are not suitable for pregnant women, or only at certain stages. If a medicine is needed (for pain or an infection), it is chosen by the dentist, the doctor or the pharmacist taking your pregnancy into account, as well as the month and your health. Mention breastfeeding too after the birth. And remember that a medicine does not treat the cause of toothache: treating the tooth does.

Bleeding gums and pregnancy epulis

Gums that bleed when you brush are common during pregnancy. This is not a reason to stop brushing them: on the contrary, plaque is what keeps the inflammation going.

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft brush and a fluoride toothpaste, gently along the gum line.
• Clean between your teeth every day.
• Have a check-up and a scale and polish if needed.
• Before using a mouthwash, ask your dentist or pharmacist, and tell them you are pregnant.

Sometimes a small, soft, red lump that bleeds easily grows on the gum between two teeth: this is a pregnancy epulis (also called a pyogenic granuloma or "pregnancy tumour", although it is not a cancer), linked to hormones and inflammation (Jawed et al., 2025, PubMed). In a meta-analysis of 5,935 pregnant women, it was found in about 3 percent of them (Bett et al., 2019, PubMed). It is not dangerous, and it often shrinks after the birth; the dentist keeps an eye on it, and removes it if it bleeds a lot, gets in the way when eating or does not go away. Have any mouth sore that does not heal within 2 to 3 weeks examined.

Gums and pregnancy outcomes

Studies often find a link between gum disease (periodontitis) and some complications, such as premature birth or low birth weight (Vivares-Builes et al., 2018, PubMed). But a link is not proof that one causes the other: the Cochrane review concludes that it is not clear whether treating gum disease during pregnancy reduces premature births (Iheozor-Ejiofor et al., 2017, PubMed). Treating your gums is still worthwhile for your own health: they bleed less, and untreated periodontitis can, over the years, loosen teeth (see gum disease).

Nausea and vomiting: protecting your enamel

• After vomiting, rinse your mouth with water, without rubbing your teeth.
• Wait a while before brushing, rather than brushing straight away: enamel softened by acid wears away more easily under the brush.
• If the taste of toothpaste or the brush at the back of your mouth makes you gag, use a small-headed brush and a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste, and brush at a time of day when the nausea is milder.
• If you are vomiting very often, tell your doctor, and your dentist, who can strengthen the protection of your teeth with fluoride.

Dry mouth and bad breath during pregnancy

Your body needs more water during pregnancy, and vomiting causes water loss: your mouth can become dry, which encourages tooth decay and bad breath. Drink water regularly, avoid sucking sweets to "make saliva", and keep brushing with fluoride toothpaste. Tell your doctor about intense thirst with passing a lot of urine.

When should you get help quickly?

Call your dentist soon if you have severe toothache, a tooth that wakes you up at night, a swollen gum with pus, or a lump on the gum that bleeds a lot. Go to the emergency department straight away if you have facial swelling that is spreading, fever, or difficulty swallowing or breathing.

After the birth: your baby's teeth

• Have your own cavities treated. Decay-causing bacteria are usually passed on to young children by their mother, and the risk is higher when the mother's saliva contains a lot of them; the earlier a child picks them up, the higher their risk of decay (Law et al., 2007, PubMed).
• Limit the transfer of your saliva into your baby's mouth: do not taste food with their spoon, and do not clean their dummy in your mouth.
• From the first tooth (the age varies a lot from one baby to another), brush it twice a day with a smear of fluoride toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice).
• No bottle of milk or sweet drink to fall asleep with.
• First dental visit around the age of 1, or after the first tooth.

Booking an appointment

Consultations take place in Rabat, Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and on Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm; the address is given when you book. The easiest way is to send a WhatsApp message stating how many months pregnant you are and the reason (for example "check-up during pregnancy", "bleeding gums" or "painful tooth"). See the appointment section. The cost depends on the treatment needed; it is explained before any decision. If you have an emergency sign, or outside these hours, go straight to the emergency department.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go to the dentist while pregnant?

Yes: published guidelines agree that check-ups, prevention and dental treatment are safe throughout pregnancy, and they even recommend a check-up every 6 months; tell the dentist that you are pregnant and how many months.

Can I have a tooth taken out while pregnant?

Yes, when the extraction is needed: guidelines consider extractions safe throughout pregnancy, and an emergency can be treated at any time; the dentist takes the right precautions and chooses the timing with you, in agreement with your doctor if needed.

Is a dental local anaesthetic harmful to the baby?

The published data are reassuring: in a study of 210 pregnancies exposed to a dental local anaesthetic, there were no more major birth defects, miscarriages or low birth weights; the dentist chooses the product and the dose with your pregnancy in mind.

Can I have a scale and polish while pregnant?

Yes: a scale and polish is one of the preventive treatments that can be done during pregnancy, and it helps calm bleeding gums; it is often done in the second trimester, but it can be done earlier or later if your gums need it.

Why do my gums bleed during pregnancy?

Pregnancy hormones make the gums more sensitive to dental plaque, so they become inflamed and bleed more easily; keep brushing gently twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth and have a check-up with your dentist.

Can I have a dental X-ray while pregnant?

A necessary dental X-ray can be taken during pregnancy with the right protection, because the dose is very low; it is only taken if it is useful, and the dentist may put it off if it is not urgent.

What can I take for toothache during pregnancy?

Nothing on your own: if a medicine is needed, it is chosen by the dentist, the doctor or the pharmacist taking your pregnancy and its stage into account; and a painful tooth is treated at the dentist, which is possible at any time during pregnancy.

Does pregnancy make you lose teeth?

No, pregnancy does not "take" calcium from the mother's teeth: what damages teeth is mainly inflamed gums, untreated decay and acid from vomiting; good brushing with fluoride and a check-up with your dentist help prevent them.