Looking after your teeth and gums and seeing your dentist regularly will help to keep your mouth healthy and ease any discomfort during pregnancy.
Many pregnant women get a condition called pregnancy gingivitis. If you have it, your gums:
It’s caused when your body produces more of the hormone progesterone which boosts the blood supply to mouth and makes gums more sensitive to bacteria.
Once your baby’s born, pregnancy gingivitis should go away.
More about gum disease
To keep your mouth healthy:
More about looking after your oral health
While you’re pregnant and for the first year after your baby’s born, you can get free NHS dental treatment. If you have a non-NHS dentist, they’re not obliged to offer you free treatment.
Keep going to your dentist and dental hygienist regularly. It’s a good idea to tell them you’re pregnant so they can give you the right information and advice. They can also tell you about the Childsmile programme which will help you look after your baby’s teeth as they grow.
If you’re not registered with a dentist, now is a good time to do it.
How to register with a dentist in Scotland
The NHS Patient Claims team can answer any questions that you might have about entitlements to dental care throughout pregnancy and after your baby’s born.
How to contact the NHS Patient Claims Team
Translations and alternative formats of this information are available from Public Health Scotland.
If you need a different language or format, please contact phs.otherformats@phs.scot.
Last updated:
14 December 2023