What Emergency Dental Procedures Are Safe During Pregnancy?

Your oral health is essential during pregnancy. You are at a higher risk of developing tooth decay, pregnancy gingivitis, and other issues. Visiting a dentist during pregnancy is not harmful to you or your baby. Unfortunately, nearly 50 percent of women believe that it is harmful.

During pregnancy, you mustn’t avoid dental visits. Leaving tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental health problems can have severe consequences. In addition, your dental health can impact your overall health, indicating it can influence your baby’s health.

For many people, six-monthly dental visits are ideal. However, your specific situation may determine how frequently you should visit your dentist near you. Therefore, when dealing with hormonal changes during pregnancy, your situation can put your dental health at higher risk.

Your dentist recommends making several appointments during your pregnancy to check the condition of your teeth and gums and recommend adjustments to your oral care routine or perform any necessary treatments.

Can You Get Emergency Treatments During Pregnancy?

Dental emergencies can happen at any time, whether you are pregnant or not. For example, if you have a tooth severely damaged due to decay or injury and irreparable, it can put your oral health at risk and will need to be removed. You will need to seek emergency dental service to have the tooth removed in such a case. Dentists usually recommend the second trimester as the most ideal for tooth removal, which they perform as a last resort. The second trimester helps avoid x-rays than in the first trimester when your baby is developing, besides the discomfort of lying down on your back for extended periods during your third trimester.

Unfortunately, the condition is incredibly painful if tooth decay reaches the center of a tooth and affects the dental pulp where the connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves exist. Root canal treatment can eliminate the pain by removing the infected pulp and restoring the tooth with a natural-looking dental crown to prevent tooth removal.

The emergency dentist in Wellesley, MA, performs emergencies like root canals at any stage of the pregnancy. However, x-rays are involved before root canal treatment, making dental surgery ideal during the second trimester.

Is Anesthesia Safe during Pregnancy?

If you must have an emergency treatment during pregnancy, dentists most likely will use anesthetics to help you relax and numb the pain. However, you must inform your dentist about your pregnancy to ensure they can choose suitable painkillers by setting appropriate levels.

Dentists avoid anesthetics containing felypressin during pregnancy because the chemicals constrict blood vessels. If you have any questions or concerns about the type of anesthesia they are using, do not hesitate to ask your dentists.

Your dentist will use the lowest anesthesia concentration for the procedure you need, ensuring that you do not experience any discomfort. When you feel comfortable, your body and your baby should not experience the usual stress.

Can You Whiten Your Teeth When Pregnant?

Teeth whitening is an elective treatment that can be performed during pregnancy. However, your dentist might recommend you wait until after your child’s birth for most elective procedures. Cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening should be avoided during the third trimester when lying still on your back while applying the whitening gel is challenging. If you are using a home whitening kit, ensure that the concentration of hydrogen peroxide is below six percent. Higher concentrations can damage soft tissue unless applied by a dental professional.

Final Verdict

There is no need to fear dental emergencies during pregnancy. However, if you end up needing one, book an appointment with Wellesley Dental Arts.