Oral Health Issues During Pregnancy
Course #53074 -
- Participation Instructions
- Review the course material online or in print.
- Complete the course evaluation.
- Review your Transcript to view and print your Certificate of Completion. Your date of completion will be the date (Pacific Time) the course was electronically submitted for credit, with no exceptions. Partial credit is not available.
Oral health of pregnant patients is considered an essential component of the overall health of the mother and the developing fetus. This course will build a continuum between the oral health issues that occur during pregnancy and necessary treatments to maintain oral health during this time. Special issues that relate to dental treatment during pregnancy and the administration of medications such as local anesthetics, analgesics, and antibiotics will be discussed as they relate both to the mother and the developing fetus. Maintaining oral health during pregnancy can be a challenge amid changing estrogen and progesterone levels, which can exacerbate gingival problems. Beyond this, some studies have suggested that prostaglandin release from the pathogenic bacteria associated with periodontal disease may even cause premature birth and thus potential health complications for the neonate. This course will highlight the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and their direct and indirect impact upon oral health.
This course is designed for all dental professionals involved in the care of pregnant patients.
The purpose of this course is to provide dental professionals with the information necessary to appropriately intervene to promote good oral health in pregnant patients, with lasting positive effects to the patient and fetus.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Identify the most common systemic changes that occur during pregnancy.
- Describe common oral health issues that arise during pregnancy.
- Analyze which dental medications are considered the safest to use during pregnancy.
- Review precautions for dental procedures that are performed during pregnancy.
Mark J. Szarejko, DDS, FAGD, received his dental degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1985. He received fellowship from the Academy of General Dentistry in 1994.
Contributing faculty, Mark J. Szarejko, DDS, FAGD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
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The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.
Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.