Can I Go to the Dentist When I'm Pregnant?

Twice yearly appointments with the dental hygienist are necessary for everyone but especially important for expectant mothers. Tell your dentist immediately about your pregnancy and keep your regular appointments. Pregnancy wreaks havoc on all parts of your body, including your teeth and gums. Gums swell and trap food, making infection more likely, and that infection does have access to the rest of the body. Gingivitis, which is infection of the gums, has been linked to premature or otherwise unhealthy births.

Cleanings can be done at anytime during a pregnancy, but the second trimester is often suggested for mere comfort of the mother. The first trimester is notorious for sickness and weak (ahem) gag reflexes, and an appointment could quickly take a nasty turn. The third trimester is just plain uncomfortable, and lying in the exam chair for an extended period just is not inviting. The accompanied inclination to be sick poses its own risks for a patient. Stomach acids from regurgitation can corrode enamel, and as contradictory as it may seem, a woman who experiences severe illness during pregnancy would benefit from an extra appointment or two while gestating.

One possible reason for continued misconceptions about avoiding the dentist during pregnancy stems from the fetal risks associated with X-rays. The films are usually taken once a year for dental records, and it is therefore probable that a patient will become due for them during gestation. X-rays should be avoided. Visiting the dentist should not.

Regular and necessary procedures like cavity fillings or caps pose no harm to a mother or the developing child and should not be avoided. In fact, avoiding such procedures poses a larger health risk. Cavities left for long periods of time can cause infections that can seep into the blood stream. Even if the offending tooth does not go that far, it is still going to cause pain, and ample pain medication cannot be prescribed during pregnancy. The vicious circle of avoiding the dentist will continue as the stress of the untreatable pain causes stress on the baby.

Medications for dental procedures, however, have been approved. If a medication is coded as a "Category B" it is deemed safe for pregnant women and their babies. The most popular numbing medications and dental sedatives can safely be used.

Select procedures such as cosmetic whitening, bonding, veneers, etc. should be postponed until after the birth. Since these are not necessary procedures, little research is done on their safety for pregnant women and fetuses.