Pregnancy is a new and exciting state for any woman. That is why I want everything to go smoothly and without problems. However, many women face toothaches during pregnancy. What to do? This is a rather complicated question, because many treatment methods are contraindicated for expectant mothers.
Why do pregnant women have toothaches?
The most common dental problems in pregnant women are as follows:
- Caries - destruction of bone tissue, as a result of which a cavity is formed inside the tooth. Its characteristic symptoms are short-term acute pain caused by ingestion of food, fluid, and air.
- Pulpitis is an inflammatory process in the nerve bundle. It is characterized by periodic bouts of sharp pain. If timely treatment is not started, then there is a risk of infection of neighboring tissues.
- Periodontitis is a neglected form of pulpitis. It is not only the nerve that is affected, but also the adjacent tissues. Not only toothache is possible here, but also a fever.
Thus, there are many reasons why a tooth hurts during pregnancy. What can be done, only a doctor can say, who will determine the cause, taking into account the characteristics of the processes taking place in the body of the future mother.
It is also worth considering that inflammation in the oral cavity is often caused by changes in the circulatory system. It is also important to pay attention to the lack of calcium. And if a woman has problems with teeth of a chronic nature, then urban dentistry will become one of the most visited medical institutions. You should not be afraid of this, because dental health is more important than fears and prejudices.
Are teeth treated during pregnancy?
If you have a toothache during pregnancy, in no case do not follow the advice of representatives of the older generations who discourage you from visiting a dentist. Of course, the stress associated with this is not useful for either the mother or her unborn baby, but the discomfort in the oral cavity does not contribute to a normal emotional background. In addition, ignoring pain can lead to severe inflammation, which is accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
Of course, problems such as malocclusion or placement of prostheses can wait until delivery. It is also not recommended to carry out procedures related to whitening. All other issues require an immediate solution, because having missed the moment, you can only aggravate the condition of your teeth.
Is it possible to remove a tooth during pregnancy?
Unfortunately, in some situations, treatment with conservative methods becomes impossible. But is it possible to remove a tooth during pregnancy? Experts consider such an intervention undesirable, because this is quite serious stress, which will not benefit either the mother or her unborn child. But there are exceptional cases when tooth extraction during pregnancy becomes an objective necessity:
- acute pain that does not stop after conservative treatment;
- the formation of cysts or tumors in the root area;
- mechanical injury to bone tissue;
- inflammatory process (since antibiotics are contraindicated for pregnant women, it remains only to remove the tooth in order to avoid the spread of infection).
All these rules apply to the entire oral cavity, except for its portion such as the wisdom tooth. During pregnancy, it can’t be categorically removed, because almost always this procedure is accompanied by severe inflammation, the suppression of which is impossible without the use of antibiotics.
Removal analgesia
Removing a tooth during pregnancy scares expectant mothers not only with the traumatic nature of the process itself, but also with possible negative consequences from the use of anesthesia. But it is worth noting that these concerns were relevant about 20 years ago when drugs with strong penetrating properties were used. Modern analgesics have exclusively local effects and do not overcome the placental barrier.
The optimal drug for pregnant women will be Ultracain. He copes well with his main task (complete anesthesia), concentrating in the puncture site. It will in no way affect the condition of the fetus. Also, make sure that your dentist is not using drugs with adrenaline. The latter can cause a sharp increase in blood pressure, which is undesirable for the expectant mother.
X-ray: is it possible to do?
Not only expectant mothers, but also some dentists are afraid to take a tooth x-ray during pregnancy. Any exposure is dangerous to humans, and in the case of a developing embryo, the risks increase several times. Nevertheless, such an examination is sometimes simply necessary to determine the degree of tooth damage. And modern dentistry has gone so far that the risks are minimized.
An X-ray of a tooth during pregnancy is not as dangerous as it might seem. Only a small portion of the oral cavity is exposed to radiation. In this case, the woman’s body is additionally protected by special material. The exposure time of the beam to the body is very short, and therefore there should not be cause for concern. For comparison, you get a similar dosage of radiation in two hours of watching TV. Nevertheless, before you go for an X-ray, make sure that the clinic has modern equipment.
When can I treat my teeth?
Many women are wondering how long they can treat their teeth. Of course, if we are talking about an urgent case, when there is a risk of the spread of the inflammatory process, then medical care should be provided immediately. An elevated temperature can affect the fetus much worse than stress from treatment and possible side effects from the administration of pain medications.
If we are talking about planned treatment, then it is better to postpone it to the second trimester. At this time, the fetus is already well enough fixed in the uterus, and the placenta has already formed to protect the future baby from possible negative effects.
If we talk about the first trimester, the fetus is still too vulnerable. In addition, the placenta is not yet able to protect it from the effects of aggressive painkillers. The third trimester is dangerous in that severe stress caused by tooth extraction or treatment can lead to premature birth.
Home recipes
City dentistry or a private doctor, of course, can help with toothache. But why should a pregnant woman expose herself to unnecessary stress if it is completely possible to eliminate unpleasant sensations on her own?
First of all, if you have a toothache, clean your mouth thoroughly. It is possible that the discomfort is caused by the ingress of pieces of food into the cavity. For additional disinfection and anesthesia, rinse your mouth with strong saline.
For unbearable pain, you may need to take an analgesic. Here, both your gynecologist and the dentist will come to your aid. For pregnant women, taking medication is a very delicate topic, because any medications can affect the development of the fetus. Most likely, paracetamol or something based on it will advise you. Nevertheless, even such harmless pills should not be abused.
Salvation from periodontitis is regular soda or salt rinses. Concentration - half a teaspoon per glass of warm water. You can also use "Furacilin" or manganese. These agents have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, which gradually leads to a decrease in pain.
Chamomile rinses work well, as well as decoctions of herbs such as sage and plantain. By the way, the latter can simply be chewed and inserted into the ear in the form of a tourniquet. Perhaps, on each windowsill grows a miraculous aloe (agave). If you attach it to the inflamed gum, then there is a chance to significantly alleviate the condition.
A common mistake is to apply a warming compress. This is not just ineffective, but also extremely dangerous (especially when it comes to inflammation or infections). You should also understand that by removing the pain, you will not eliminate the cause itself, and therefore it will not hurt to go to the doctor. Of course, in large cities there is even a special dentistry for pregnant women (Moscow, St. Petersburg and others). Nevertheless, this does not mean at all that any other dentist does not know how to help the expectant mother.
Preventative measures
It is rather unpleasant when a tooth hurts during pregnancy. What to do to prevent this from happening? Naturally, do not forget about prevention.
Ideally, a woman should undergo a full examination by a dentist at the planning stage of pregnancy. The doctor will eliminate carious cavities and prescribe gum treatment. In this case, you can be completely calm about the condition of your teeth.
It is extremely important to provide the body with all the necessary trace elements and minerals, and in particular - calcium. The fact is that a developing fetus takes resources from the mother’s body, and therefore they must be constantly replenished. Here you will find good nutrition, as well as special vitamin and mineral complexes.
Particular attention is paid to oral hygiene. The issue of regular toothbrush replacement in pregnant women is even more acute. It is also advisable to get two pastas. One of them should contain antibacterial components, and the second - plant extracts.
Can pregnant women go to the dentist? It’s even necessary! For the entire period, you need to visit a doctor at least twice to monitor the condition of the oral cavity. Minor problems can be fixed right away. If you are afraid, then this can be done after the birth. The dentist can also prescribe special procedures that will protect your teeth from decay and normalize the condition of the gums.
What kind of analgesics are allowed for pregnant women?
It is important to understand that taking medications during pregnancy is a very sensitive topic. But sometimes it is simply necessary. So, if you have a toothache, and a visit to the doctor in the near future is not possible, you can use the following analgesics:
- "Paracetamol" is highly effective despite the fact that it is harmless to the fetus.
- "Aspirin" will help to somewhat reduce discomfort, but it can be taken only in the second trimester with the permission of the attending physician.
- "Analgin" in many respects is similar to "Aspirin", but it is much stronger, and therefore its use is allowed only in exceptional cases.
- "Nurofen" is acceptable to take not only in the second, but also in the first trimester for emergency relief of acute pain.
- It is permissible to make compresses from the contents of the Novocain ampoule (try not to swallow it).
All medicines need to be washed down with a large amount of liquid. In this case, if after taking 1-2 tablets the pain did not go away or returned again, consult a doctor, because the abuse of analgesics during pregnancy is extremely undesirable.
conclusions
Many women face toothaches during pregnancy. What to do, the dentist can tell. It is important to understand that the causes of pain are very trivial - caries, pulpitis, periodontitis and others. But in expectant mothers, the problem is also exacerbated by the fact that the hormonal background is extremely unstable, and almost all nutrients attract the fetus. That is why it is recommended to carry out preventive examinations before conception, as well as during the period of bearing a child (at least twice).
Of course, treatment or tooth extraction is a great stress for both the mother and the fetus. In addition, painkillers can cause concern. That is why many women prefer to delay treatment. The problem is best solved in the second trimester or after childbirth. However, severe pain or inflammation requires immediate intervention. Moreover, modern painkillers cannot overcome the placental barrier, but are concentrated in the injection area.
Before going to the doctor, try to cope with the pain with alternative methods. The most effective means is a concentrated saline or soda solution. Rinses with "Furacilin" or manganese also help. High efficiency is characterized by chamomile, plantain, sage and aloe. But as for warm and hot compresses, they are categorically contraindicated, because they can only increase inflammation. Even if home methods have helped dull the pain, do not neglect a visit to the dentistry to eliminate the likelihood of complications.