Is professional dental prophylaxis safe during pregnancy?

Based on the indexed literature, professional dental prophylaxis and nonsurgical periodontal therapy are considered safe during pregnancy.

A systematic review of 19 RCTs concluded that nonsurgical periodontal therapy is safe during pregnancy, and while it does not completely prevent adverse outcomes, it can be recommended as part of antenatal care ^[1]. A separate systematic review and meta-analysis examining scaling and root planing combined with mouthwash during pregnancy further supports the use of mechanical periodontal interventions in pregnant women ^[2].

Regarding anesthesia concerns that might arise during prophylaxis appointments, a systematic review of five studies involving nearly 2,000 patients found no significant differences in adverse pregnancy outcomes - including gestational age at delivery, birth weight, preterm birth, or fetal anomalies - among pregnant women who received local anesthetics (primarily lidocaine with epinephrine) for dental procedures ^[3]. That review explicitly concluded there are no grounds to avoid dental care or local anesthetics during pregnancy ^[3].

Despite this evidence, unfavourable beliefs remain common among pregnant patients - notably that "dental treatments are not safe and harm the fetus," identified in 17 of 39 studies in one systematic review ^[4]. Clinicians are therefore encouraged to proactively address these misconceptions, as low oral health knowledge and reliance on social networks contribute to avoidance of needed care ^[4].