Toothache During Pregnancy
What to Do About a Toothache during Pregnancy
A toothache during pregnancy can really take us off guard. We think through all the other problems and spend a good deal of time preparing for them, but something as simple as a toothache can really stop us in our tracks.
Should I wait until after baby is borne to take care of it?
Our initial inclination when we get a toothache during pregnancy is just to live with it until after baby is born and deal with it then. We already have so much going on that we just don’t want to worry about one more thing. In addition, we are already going to the doctor every few weeks and the thought of spending even more time in a waiting room just sounds awful to us.
But here is the truth. You should not wait. If you get a toothache during pregnancy, you need to take care of it as soon as possible. You don’t want to have this adding to your stress level on the day of delivery.
But what if I need x-rays?
This is the real fear underneath it all. If you have to have x-rays, you fear that you may hurt your baby. But you do not need to fear this. You just need to make sure that you tell your dentist you are pregnant so that he or she can take the appropriate measures. Your dentist will do their best to limit your baby’s exposure to anything harmful on your visit and you will leave feeling much better.
Be careful, however, that you do not assume when you go in that your dentist notices your condition. You want to be sure not only to check the appropriate box on your forms and to tell both the dentist and the hygienist about your condition so that they can take the proper precautions.
Taking Care of Your Toothache during Pregnancy Will Protect Baby
Not only is taking care of your toothache important for your own health, but it is also important for your baby’s health. This is because your toothache can have an adverse affect on your health and this can indirectly affect your baby.
If you simply choose to ignore your toothache and try to tough it out, your toothache is likely to get worse. The pain and discomfort will disrupt your sleep, make it more difficult to eat properly, and generally make you more stressed out. All of these can contribute to increasing the chances of complications for you baby.
You have to remember that you are the vessel for your baby and if you don’t take care of your own health, you will directly affect your baby.
Prevention
The key then should be to try to prevent as many problems as possible. If you are planning to get pregnant, try to get any dental procedures done before hand. If you need to have your wisdom teeth removed, get that out of the way first, so that it does not become a problem for you during the months where you want to focus on safely delivering your baby.
During your pregnancy, you should also continue with your normal dental visits. Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you don’t need to take care of your dental hygiene. Your dentist may also be able to catch problems early so that you don’t have to worry about them in the later stages of pregnancy.
Pregnancy Related Problems
Pregnancy itself also has an affect on you mouth. The hormones that course through body will also tend to make your gums more sensitive. Sometime women will feel toothaches during pregnancy that are actually just sensitive gums acting up. Often this will lead to bleeding gums, which makes the prospect of flossing unpleasant.
Some pregnant women will also feel as if their teeth are loose in their mouths. This looseness is also because of the hormones and in some rare cases may actually lead to the loss of a tooth.
Go to Your Dentist
So, the simple advice is: don’t put off going to the dentist just because you are pregnant. Your health is just as important to your baby as anything else that you do.