Proper dental care and dental appointments are a necessity to ensure proper oral health and hygiene. And many of these dental procedures use some form of anesthetic agent or numbing medication to help alleviate pain and make dental work more bearable.
However, if you’re pregnant, you may be wondering if you can still get dental check-ups done or if you have to wait until after your pregnancy. Many patients have concerns that the anesthetic agents used could interfere with their pregnancy or that the dental work itself may somehow negatively affect the pregnancy.
Though these are legitimate concerns, you can certainly get dental work done while pregnant as neither the dental procedures themselves or the numbing medications used have any negative effects on you or the fetus. Ideally, cosmetic procedures are deferred until after pregnancy, but dental work done to help treat or prevent dental decay or infections can most certainly be performed during pregnancy
In fact, pregnant patients are more likely to need proper dental care as hormones during these times can actually cause gums to swell, become irritated, and have an increased chance of developing gum disease if not properly cared for. So if you’re thinking about having dental work done, determine why you’re getting the work done in the first place. If its for cosmetic purposes then wait until after you pregnancy. If its something needed to help treat an active infection, then your dentist may recommend to have work done as soon as possible.
Can You Get a Root Canal While Pregnant?
Root canals are typically performed to remove infected pulp in a tooth. This is important as infections of the oral cavity can potentially spread to other parts of the body and complicate a pregnancy. Root canals can certainly be performed while pregnant, as the numbing medications and even antibiotics used during this procedure are known to be completely safe.
Can You Have a Root Canal In Your Third Trimester?
You can have a root canal performed during your third trimester, however, many patients find laying down uncomfortable during this time. The best trimester for dental procedures is the second trimester. And most dentists recommend avoiding any dental work during the first trimester.
Can I Get a Crown on my Tooth While Pregnant?
You can get a crown while pregnant, but if it’s for cosmetic purposes it may be best to wait until after your pregnancy. However, if a crown is being placed as a way to correct dental erosion, you could go ahead with the procedure.
Of course, if you’re unsure whether you should have a dental procedure done or not, its important to consult your dentist. They will help guide you on whether or not you should have a dental procedure performed as soon as possible or if its better to wait until after pregnancy. For more information please visit our dentists in Worcester MA.