Fact: It is very possible to have successful dental extractions during pregnancy, but you have to do it with an expert.
Teeth are the most neglected part of the body. We usually focus on other things and forget that we have teeth to look after. However, we forget that teeth are the most vulnerable areas of the body, and they need to be looked after well.
Teeth become more vulnerable when you get pregnant.
You might be wondering why this is so; when you are pregnant, you will vomit due to morning sickness, eat more sugary foods and retch a lot, leading to dental decay and tooth pain, which can lead to tooth extraction.
Let us find out whether it is safe to undergo a tooth extraction procedure when pregnant.
When your teeth are infected with intense toothache, it will be necessary to extract them. Additionally, when Periodontitis sets in, the teeth become loose, and they might lose the bone support that they have. This warrants tooth extraction.
However, the dentist is the one that will tell you whether it is necessary or not, and give you a breakdown of the costs as well as how the procedure will be.
Symptoms That Necessitate Tooth extraction During Pregnancy
Before you can decide to have the tooth extracted, consider the symptoms that justify the removal. These include:
- Pain in your teeth and gums.
- An infected tooth that has decayed.
- Difficulty in chewing.
- Swollen gums.
- Difficulty in speech.
- Bleeding gums.
These issues might arise anytime during pregnancy, but you have to wait for the perfect time to extract them.
When is The Perfect Time to Undergo Tooth Extraction?
Pregnancy usually goes through three trimesters. Let us look at what each trimester has in terms of dental extraction.
First Trimester
You shouldn’t go for dental extraction during the first trimester unless it is an emergency that has to be dealt with fast. Critical organs usually develop in the baby between the third and the eighth week. The extraction process usually comes with stress and medications that can impact the growth of the fetus.
Second Trimester
If you ever wish to extract a tooth, this is the most suitable time. At this time, the fetus has grown, and it can withstand any stress and medications that come with a tooth extraction.
The dentist will employ several measures to make sure you are safe at all times. One of the measures is to always make sure the fetus isn’t under any pressure.
Third Trimester
When you are in the third trimester, you cannot sit for long in the same position. This will make you very uncomfortable.
If you are in absolute pain and you MUST undergo a tooth extraction, then the first month of the third trimester is the ideal time to have the procedure done.
Safety of the Procedures during Pregnancy
Tooth extraction usually involves various procedures that we need to look at. Two of the most critical are X-rays and Anesthesia. Let us check them out.
X-rays
A dental extraction needs the dentist to perform imaging to identify the affected tooth and look at the extent of the decay. The dentist usually uses a lead apron to cover the upper part of the body to avoid side effects of radiation on the unborn baby.
Anesthesia
The dentist uses local anesthesia that is safe to use during pregnancy. The anesthesia will enter the placenta but will get filtered out before it can get to the fetus. The dentist will give you a lower dose than normal to make sure your fetus is safe.
In Closing
Pregnancy is a time when you expect to bring a child into the world. Sadly, you will be at risk of other conditions that you need to handle early enough. This is why you need to have a dentist at hand to help make your pregnancy easy, so that you don’t have to get worried about other issues.
There are some women that have had issues with their teeth, but failed to visit a dentist just because they think the unborn baby will be affected. Truth is your dentist knows the right time to perform these procedures safely.
