Seeing the dentist when you are pregnant

Your mouth changes when you are pregnant. Hormone levels rise, and that makes your gums react more strongly to plaque. Gums that never used to bleed can start to bleed when you brush.

Eating habits often change too. Small snacks through the day, sugary cravings and being sick all give your teeth less time to recover. A check-up lets us catch small problems before they become painful ones.

Pregnancy is also a good time to get into a routine. The habits you build now are the ones your child will copy later. See our dental check-up page for what a routine visit covers.

Gingivitis (early gum disease) is more common in pregnancy. Dentists often call it pregnancy gingivitis. The signs are red, puffy gums that bleed when you brush or floss. It usually starts in the first few months and can last until the birth.

It is caused by plaque. The hormones do not cause the disease on their own, but they make your gums react more to the plaque that is there. Keeping your teeth very clean is the main fix.

What we do:

• Check every gum pocket and show you where the bleeding is coming from.
• Book you with the hygienist for a scale and polish from £84 to remove hardened plaque.
• Where the gums are already more affected, we may suggest a deep perio (gum) clean. A 30-minute deep perio clean is from £196. A course of 2 × 45-minute visits is from £207.20.
• Show you a brushing and interdental cleaning routine that works for you.

Bleeding gums are not a reason to stop brushing. Brush gently twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth. The bleeding usually settles as the plaque comes under control. If it does not, read our gum disease page and book in.

Being sick washes stomach acid over your teeth. Acid softens enamel. If you brush straight after, you can brush the softened surface away.

What helps:

• Rinse your mouth with plain water straight after being sick.
• Wait about an hour before you brush.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste. Spit, do not rinse, after brushing.
• If brushing makes you gag, try a smaller brush head and brush later in the morning.

Tell us at your visit if sickness has been a problem. We look for early signs of acid wear and can apply fluoride where it helps.

During pregnancy we carry out:

• Examinations and routine check-ups
• Hygiene visits and gum treatment
• Fillings, including white fillings
• Treatment for toothache, infection and broken teeth
• Emergency care

We postpone until after the birth:

• Teeth whitening. We do not whiten teeth during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Our whitening uses up to 6% hydrogen peroxide, is for patients 18 and over, and results vary.
• Other cosmetic treatment that is not urgent, such as veneers or bonding done purely for looks.
• Routine X-rays that can safely wait.

If something sits between those lists, we talk it through with you and, where needed, with your midwife or GP. Nothing is decided without you.

Related: Sensitive teeth · Tooth extraction

Dental X-rays use a very low dose of radiation and are aimed at your mouth, away from your bump. Even so, we follow the rule that applies to every patient: we only take an X-ray when there is a clear clinical reason. In pregnancy we set the bar higher still. Routine X-rays are usually delayed until after the birth. If you have toothache or a suspected infection, an X-ray may be the right thing to do, and we explain why before we take it.

Local anaesthetic (numbing injection) is used routinely for pregnant patients. We choose the type and amount carefully and tell you what we are using. You should not have to put up with pain because you are pregnant.

We do not offer sedation at Tower Dental. If you are nervous, say so. We go at your pace. Our new patients page explains how a first visit works.

This is general guidance, not a rule. Many dentists prefer to carry out planned, non-urgent treatment in the middle part of pregnancy (roughly weeks 14 to 27). Sickness has often eased by then, and lying back in the chair is still comfortable.

In the first weeks, some people feel too sick to cope with a long appointment. In the last weeks, lying flat can be uncomfortable. So we may suggest shorter visits, or a break to sit up, at either end.

Check-ups, cleaning and urgent treatment happen whenever they are needed, at any stage. Pain or infection is never left to wait.

On the NHS, pregnant women and new mothers can get free NHS dental treatment with a maternity exemption certificate. That certificate only covers NHS treatment at an NHS dentist.

Tower Dental is a fully private practice. We do not offer NHS treatment, so the maternity exemption does not apply here. We would rather say that plainly than let you find out at the desk.

What you pay instead is the same published price as every other patient. A new patient examination is from £79 with X-rays included. A scale and polish is from £84. A small composite filling is from £168. Every other price is on our fee list. If you want to compare the two routes, our NHS vs private dentist in Blackpool page sets them side by side.

Book a check-up for yourself within the first few months after the birth. It is a good time to catch up on anything we postponed, such as X-rays or whitening, and to check your gums have settled.

Bring your baby as soon as the first tooth comes through, or by their first birthday. The first visit is short. We look, we count teeth, and we show you how to clean them. See our children's dentist page for what we offer for families.

If you are breastfeeding, most dental treatment can go ahead. We still hold off on whitening. Tell us, and we plan around it.

I have a cold sore. Please call us before you come in. Cold sores spread easily, and stretching the lip during treatment can make them worse. For routine visits we usually move your appointment until it has healed. Urgent problems are still seen.

I am on antibiotics. Yes, you can still come in. Tell us what you are taking and why. It helps us plan any treatment and avoid clashing prescriptions.

I take blood thinners. Yes. Bring your medication list, or a photo of it. For treatment that may bleed, we follow the current guidance for your medicine and we liaise with your GP or midwife where needed. Do not stop any medicine before a dental visit unless your doctor tells you to.

Painkillers. Ask your midwife, GP or pharmacist which painkillers are safe for you in pregnancy before you take any for toothache.

Every price below is a "from" price. We confirm your exact price in writing at your examination before anything starts. Full list on our fee page.

Spreading the cost: 0% finance over 6 or 10 months via V12, subject to status. Tower Dental is a credit broker, not a lender.

If you would rather pay monthly for your routine care, see our membership plans. We confirm which plan suits you at your examination.

Tower Dental is at 302a Devonshire Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0TW. There is free on-street parking nearby. We are open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 17:30.

The practice is on the first floor and is not wheelchair accessible. There is a stairlift if the stairs are hard work later in pregnancy. Let us know when you book and we will have it ready.

We see patients from across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, including Bispham, Cleveleys, Thornton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Fleetwood and Lytham St Annes. Our sister practice, Station House Dental Care, is in Barnoldswick.

Call 01253 353759 or email info@towerdental.uk.