27.11.2019
Tooth extraction is an unpleasant and painful procedure, especially during pregnancy. Unfortunately, toothache is a problem that often occurs in pregnant women. As a rule, it occurs due to numerous changes in the hormonal background and in all organs and systems that the body undergoes during this period. Teeth and gums become especially vulnerable to pathogenic bacteria. This is due both to a lack of calcium and phosphorus, and to changes in acidity in the oral cavity. As a result, tooth enamel begins to deteriorate, which can lead to the development of caries and its complications.
Tooth extraction is a last resort resorted to by a dentist during a woman’s pregnancy. During the procedure, a woman may experience severe stress, which negatively affects the baby’s health. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women postpone tooth extraction until after pregnancy.
When the process of tooth decay has just begun, therapeutic treatment of caries can be carried out. If you follow certain recommendations, this procedure is safe for the health of the woman and child. However, there are cases when the only way out of the situation is tooth extraction.
Early and late dental treatment
Pregnancy is a difficult and very important period for a woman’s health. And very often, thinking about the unborn child, the mother forgets about herself, in particular about the health of her teeth. Against the background of hormonal changes and changes in the immune system during pregnancy, many chronic diseases can worsen, including diseases of the teeth or oral mucosa.
And the development of infection can lead to the entry of dangerous bacteria into the blood, which complicate the course of pregnancy and can harm the body of the expectant mother and her baby. This poses a particular danger during the period when the placental barrier is not yet fully formed, i.e. in the first weeks of the gestation period. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to treat your teeth during pregnancy! But on the other hand, treatment often uses strong anesthetics and antibiotics, so the dentist has to carefully balance the therapeutic effect of the chosen drug with its risk to the child.
What to do to avoid problems?
We would like to remind you once again that in order to avoid the need for dental treatment during pregnancy, which is a potentially dangerous situation during this period (or at least reduce the likelihood of dental problems), it is very important to perform a complete sanitation of the oral cavity in preparation for pregnancy. this important stage, in advance.
And after conception, carefully observe the hygiene of your teeth and the entire oral cavity: brush your teeth promptly and carefully, using toothpastes and rinses approved during pregnancy, reduce the amount of food that is dangerous to your teeth, chew more carefully, consult with your doctor about what vitamins to take to avoid calcium deficiency, destructive to teeth.
Procedures that are acceptable during this period
Unfortunately, not everything can be foreseen and not prepared for everything in advance. Therefore, at the first sign of dental problems, you should consult a doctor without waiting for acute pain to occur, because both the developing infection and the pain itself are very dangerous for the health of the unborn child.
If necessary, the following procedures can be carried out:
- treatment of diseases such as caries, periodontitis, pulpitis, periodontitis – i.e. all those that are associated with the emergence and development of a source of infection, with the risk of dangerous microorganisms and toxins entering the blood; of course, depulpation should be carried out without the use of arsenic,
- removal of a tooth that cannot be treated (for example, it is severely destroyed, or the root has been damaged, an area of inflammation or a large cyst has appeared), or is in severe pain,
- perform prosthetics - only when it is required for normal nutrition of the mother and the inability to postpone the procedure,
- professional teeth cleaning, tartar removal, etc.
But such manipulations as removal of wisdom teeth, correction of bite defects, implantation, surgical operations and other similar procedures are best postponed until later. In general, it is necessary to take into account that, if possible, it is better not to carry out any dental treatment at all during pregnancy in the early stages (in the first trimester), until the fetus and placenta are fully formed. The second and third trimesters are more suitable.
1st trimester of pregnancy
The entire period of pregnancy is traditionally divided into three parts (trimesters), according to the main stages of development of the unborn child. The first trimester is the most crucial; it is at this stage that the fertilized egg is implanted, the placenta and embryonic organs are gradually formed, so any medical interventions, incl. Dental treatment in the first trimester of pregnancy carries serious risks.
In the first trimester (up to 12 weeks) planned sanitation is not indicated, help is only for acute pain, because the unborn child is developing organs, the placenta is not yet developed (i.e. there is no proper protection of the fetus from negative factors), the woman often experiences toxicosis , at 8-9 weeks there is a danger of spontaneous abortion. Remineralizing therapy and professional teeth cleaning, removal of hard deposits, and oral hygiene without the use of ultrasound are allowed.
2nd trimester of pregnancy
In the second trimester (from 13 to 24 weeks), treatment of oral diseases is considered safer. The placenta already reliably protects the child, toxicosis and the risks of abortion are behind us, the woman can remain in the dental chair for a long time. The following manipulations can be performed: professional cleaning of hard and soft dental plaque, treatment of caries and its complications.
Most doctors agree that the second trimester for dental treatment during pregnancy is the most relatively safe period. Nevertheless, you need to pay the most serious attention to the choice of medications and painkillers. Lidocaine and novocaine are extremely undesirable.
Treatment in the 3rd trimester
In the third trimester (from 25 weeks until childbirth), dental care is provided only according to strict indications (if the woman’s general condition may worsen). By the end of pregnancy, many women experience shortness of breath, tachycardia, and decreased blood pressure; when reclining in a chair, such phenomena can cause significant discomfort and even lead to a worsening of the condition (the uterus compresses the inferior complete vein).
During this period, the body is more sensitive to medications, the woman becomes anxious and cannot stay in the dental chair for a long time. So dental treatment during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester is possible only up to 34 weeks. At 36-37 weeks, only emergency intervention is performed, because... during this period, treatment can provoke premature birth.
Tooth extraction after childbirth
Quite often you hear that pregnancy can take away a woman’s teeth. This is quite possible, but it does not happen to everyone. In the case when you plan your pregnancy in advance, having thoroughly prepared for it, you can become an exception. To do this, teeth should be treated before conceiving a child.
Among the recommendations of dentists is to undergo preventive examinations at least once every 6 months. Even if certain changes have occurred to your teeth during this time, it is unlikely that surgical intervention will be required to eliminate them.
Some expectant mothers refuse to visit the dental clinic not only before pregnancy, but also during it. If you still haven’t gotten rid of your bad teeth during pregnancy, then you need to do this right now. For nursing mothers, dentists use gentle anesthetics when removing teeth. This anesthesia is removed from the body within a few hours. Thus, when a tooth is removed, qualified doctors will not even distract you from your feeding regimen. In the case when you need to carry out more complex dental surgical procedures that are planned, then doctors most often advise you to wait a little with them.
Safe anesthesia options for pregnant women
Dental treatment under anesthesia during pregnancy is clearly prohibited - only local painkillers can be used. However, local anesthesia for dental treatment during pregnancy is very important: severe pain during treatment can cause a surge of adrenaline, which can dangerously affect the unborn baby and even cause premature birth.
Novocaine and lidocaine should be excluded from local anesthetics - they can cause muscle weakness, cramps, pressure changes, dizziness and vomiting. Ubistezin, ultracaine, artifrin, alfacaine are considered safer painkillers for dental treatment during pregnancy, because they do not have a vasoconstrictor effect and almost do not penetrate the placenta.
Indications for tooth extraction in pregnant women
- pulpitis, periodontitis, caused by severe inflammation of surrounding tissues and pain;
- malignant tumor or cyst;
- the growth of a wisdom tooth, which puts pressure on neighboring tissues and causes severe pain;
- carious process of the tooth root;
- tooth root fracture;
- rapidly progressing periodontal disease;
- jaw injuries;
The pain when chewing, which a pregnant woman may experience, will lead to a lack of nutrients for the baby, which can affect its further development and growth.
Tooth extraction during pregnancy
It is not advisable to undergo tooth extraction during pregnancy. This is always associated with a heavy burden, both psychological and emotional, as well as physiological - after all, this is a surgical operation. In addition, with such an operation there is a high probability of infection and the development of inflammation, which may require the use of antibiotics, the use of which is extremely undesirable during pregnancy.
Therefore, planned extractions (for example, wisdom teeth) are not carried out during this period, and only emergency extractions are performed, associated with severe acute pain, dangerous inflammatory processes, fracture of the root or neck of the tooth, the formation of a large cyst (more than 1 cm) or a purulent focus of inflammation.
Is it possible to take an X-ray of a tooth?
A lot of questions arise about whether it is possible to take dental x-rays during pregnancy. In the first trimester, X-rays are prohibited. Dental X-rays in the early stages of pregnancy pose a high risk of dangerous effects on the woman’s body and the developing fetus. In the second and third trimester, x-rays can be taken (preferably radiovisiography, characterized by lower radiation intensity) using a protective apron and according to strict indications.
First aid for a pregnant woman with growing wisdom teeth
When a wisdom tooth grows during pregnancy, the pregnant woman feels discomfort and irritation. Her condition is worsening due to pain that cannot be relieved with simple painkillers, because not all medications can be taken. What to do in this case? A pregnant woman can independently examine her wisdom tooth for swelling and inflammation of the gums. If such symptoms are not observed, then you can lightly massage the tooth in a circle from the outside. Another way to relieve pain is to bite hard food. But this must be done carefully. Often, as a wisdom tooth grows, a gum pocket opens. Residues of food can accumulate in it, which will subsequently bring even greater problems and pain. You need to consult a dentist to choose the right pain reliever that will help relieve pain and eliminate possible harm to the fetus. It will not be possible to completely relieve the pain syndrome, but it can be significantly reduced. You should not ignore visiting the dentist: complications may arise, which are problematic and more expensive to treat during pregnancy. This is one of the reasons why a timely visit to the dentist for a pregnant woman is mandatory.
Implantation and prosthetics during pregnancy
Prosthetics in themselves are not prohibited during pregnancy. You can install removable and fixed dentures, and even crowns. But implantation will have to wait until the baby is born. Dental implantation during pregnancy requires a huge expenditure of vitality and body resources, and most importantly, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, strong painkillers, and sometimes antibiotics.
Inserting an implant into bone tissue requires surgical cutting of the gum and drilling into the bone. And then the body must form new bone tissue around the implant. And all this during the period when the skeleton of the unborn child is intensively formed, when every milligram of calcium counts - so much so that the mother’s body is ready to weaken its own bone tissue and the structure of the enamel and dentin of the teeth so that the baby’s body does not experience a lack of calcium.
Therefore, during such a period, it is extremely unwise to further weaken the mother’s body and endanger the unborn child through the most complex surgical implantation operation. It is better to wait a few months and have implantation done after birth, without endangering the baby.
Is it possible to do dental x-rays?
The most common misconception is that dental x-rays are prohibited during pregnancy. X-rays can indeed have a negative effect on the child, therefore such studies of the lungs and other organs are contraindicated during this period. But with dental x-rays, the risks are minimal, since:
- the emitted waves are so weak that they do not affect the baby;
- the rays are directed exclusively to the area under study;
- The chest and stomach are covered with a protective lead apron.
Under such conditions, the penetration of radiation through the tissues of the mother to the child is excluded.
Some clinics use dental microscopes for diagnostics instead of X-rays, the contraindications to their use are minimal.
