When a woman finds out about pregnancy, she should not have a question “to go or not to go to the dentist?”. Consider that many diseases are asymptomatic, and you may not suspect their existence.
Why you need to go to the dentist after you find out about pregnancy, even if nothing bothers you?
During pregnancy, a woman’s body is rebuilt, the state of all organs changes, the work of the hormonal system, cardiovascular, endocrine changes, and this plays an important role in a woman’s immunity.
Considering all physiological factors, immunity in pregnant women decreases and provokes changes in the oral cavity - the number of pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity increases, the protective processes and processes that affect wound healing are reduced, the level of antibacterial protection is reduced, in addition, qualitative and quantitative changes are made saliva indicators, the level of calcium and phosphorus in the body of the expectant mother drops.
Simply put, all these features affect the condition of the teeth and the mucous membrane as a whole.
Will a pregnant woman's dental disease affect the fetus?
The oral cavity is the initial part of the gastrointestinal tract, and when pathogenic microorganisms get into other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, they are “absorbed” along with beneficial substances in the small intestine, after which they are distributed to all organs / systems of the body, and this can affect fetus.
At certain times, the laying of fetal organs and systems is underway, bacteria can affect the blood supply to the pregnant woman’s uterus, which in the early stages can cause miscarriage or premature birth in the later stages.
Unsanitary oral cavity can negatively affect the formation of the fetus, with exacerbation of diseases in the oral cavity, there may be a threat of miscarriage.
During what period of pregnancy is dental treatment necessary?
During pregnancy, a woman observes two critical periods: the first trimester (1-12,13 weeks), the third trimester (after 28 weeks and before birth).
These two periods are characterized by increased reflex excitability of the uterus. Even the smallest pathogens can change the tone of the uterus and provoke its contraction, which carries the risk of miscarriage or premature birth.
Unsanitary oral cavity can negatively affect the formation of the fetus, with exacerbation of diseases in the oral cavity, there may be a threat of miscarriage.
Routine treatment of a pregnant woman should be carried out in the second trimester (13-28 weeks).
Professional oral hygiene is possible throughout pregnancy, since it makes it possible to eliminate pathological processes (tartar, soft plaque), prevent the progression of diseases of the teeth and gums, since processes such as gingivitis (gum inflammation) are very common in pregnant women.
Planned removal, prosthetics, implantation of teeth can be carried out only after the birth of a child.
If your tooth hurts during the first or third trimester
Should I wait for the right time for treatment?
In no case do you need to endure a toothache. You should immediately consult a dentist, and do not forget to warn him about your situation, the duration of pregnancy and the recommendations of the gynecologist. At any time you can provide an ambulance that will ease your condition.
We had a case when a patient in position called at night complaining of acute pain. They took an x-ray and saw pulpitis, that is, inflammation of the nerve, of course we did not wait until 3-6 months came, or when the baby was born, the pain was removed, the tooth was cured.
In the process of root canal treatment, we can take from 3 to 5 pictures, or even more if the situation is difficult, for a pregnant woman we will take one picture at the beginning of treatment, we will continue to treat it instrumentally and medically, and fill it. And after the birth of the baby, it will be necessary to take a control x-ray of the cured tooth in order to make sure that inflammation is not progressing.
There was a case when a pregnant woman asked to restore a part of a tooth that broke off. We did a temporary restoration, preserving the aesthetic appearance of the tooth, and after delivery we performed prosthetics.
Can I give painkillers to pregnant women?
Of course you can. It’s even necessary. Pregnant women can undergo local anesthesia, it is allowed to use amide anesthetics, which can not toxicly affect the human body. But only those anesthetics which contain vasoconstrictors such as adrenaline or epinifrin, with a low concentration of 1:200 000.
Moreover, amide anesthetics are characterized by a long-lasting analgesic effect, which allows the dentist to perform manipulation for a long time.
Can X-rays be done?
Dentists have no definite answer to this question. Many studies have been carried out regarding exposure, which showed that 1 x-ray is 0.02-0.03If your tooth hurts during the first or third trimester (mSv). But, we get radiation in everyday life, using electrical appliances.
Therefore, you can take a picture, but in some cases. For example, when without an X-ray, it is difficult to determine the clinical picture for diagnosis.
During pregnancy, it is especially important that there is trust and mutual understanding between the doctor and the patient. Obviously, the dentist who treats the expectant mother for a long period is better acquainted with the features of the patient's oral cavity.
