
Oral Health Care for Pregnant Women = Early Prevention and Cost Savings
Ensuring that pregnant women have dental care is important because the bacteria that cause tooth decay is often transmitted from moms to babies. Dental disease may also cause complications during pregnancy that are expensive to treat and put babies at risk.
Preventing and treating dental disease in pregnant women can promote healthier pregnancies and lead to better oral health for thousands of children. Results from Washington’s latest 2010 Smile Survey show we need to focus more on prevention- nearly 40% of children in our state start kindergarten having experienced tooth decay. Research shows that for children, early prevention can substantially reduce future dental costs.
What the Legislature can do to increase access for pregnant women:
- Modeled after the nationally recognized Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program:
- Approve a pilot for an enhanced Medicaid dental benefit for pregnant women and people with diabetes (link to diabetes page), that included an enhanced reimbursement rate for dental providers and case management services for pregnant women to address barriers that make it difficult to access care and stress the importance of oral health.
Learn more from our Fact Sheet.
A National Workgroup comprised of oral health and prenatal care representation from over twenty-five national organizations like the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Dental Association has created a consensus statement on how to manage oral health care during pregnancy. This document is helpful for both pregnant women and their health providers.
Oral Health Watch
15h
Achieving health equity begins with community water fluoridation. That's because having a good balance of fluoride benefits everyone. But it is especially beneficial for people who experience barriers to accessing regular care, including lower income households, communities of color and ...seniors on fixed incomes. #teethmatter😁
Oral Health Watch
19h
Achieving health equity begins with community water fluoridation. That's because having a good balance of fluoride benefits everyone. But it is especially beneficial for people who experience barriers to accessing regular care, including lower income households, communities of color and ...seniors on fixed incomes. #teethmatter😁
Oral Health Watch
21h
Health equity begins w/ water fluoridation. That's bc a good balance of fluoride benefits all. But it is especially beneficial for people experiencing barriers to accessing care, including lower income households, communities of color & seniors on fixed incomes. #teethmatter😁
Oral Health Watch
21h
👏 Congratulations and thank you @Arcorafound!
Arcora Foundation is excited to share our 2023 Community Report! 🎉 We invite you to explore these recent highlights and shared progress made by Arcora and partners to further bend the arc of #oralhealth toward equity. ⬇
https://arcorafoundation.org/our-work/2023-community-report/
Oral Health Watch
1d
Happening now! US Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee will be discussing oral health disparities. Click on the link to view it. You also can submit comments by emailing Statementsfortherecord@finance.senate.gov. #teethmatter
An Oral Health Crisis: Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities
www.finance.senate.govOral Health Watch
1d
Happening now! US Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee will be discussing oral health disparities. Click on the link to view it. You also can submit comments by emailing Statementsfortherecord@finance.senate.gov. #teethmatter
An Oral Health Crisis: Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities
www.finance.senate.gov