Overview:
It is good to have a routine dental check up during pregnancy in order to prevent from any kind of oral infections. During pregnancy hormone changes because of which gums swells up and results in bleeding, infections etc. The swollen gums hold food particles and further cause the gums to bleed and create infections to prevent from this condition during pregnancy you should go for a routine dental check up. Dental treatment such as cavity fillings and crowns, should be treated to reduce the chance of infection. Procedures which take hour to complete should be planed after the delivery because lying on your back can be risky. It is best to avoid dental work during pregnancy in order to save the developing baby from any risks.
What about other regular dental work during pregnancy?
Sometimes dental work like root canal or tooth extraction is necessary but cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening and other procedures should be postponed till the delivery. Even if the procedures are minimal it can risks the developing baby so to prevent it is better to avoid dental work while pregnancy. There are conflicting studies about adverse effects on the developing baby because of the medications used during dental work. The most commonly used drug name Lidocaine penetrates inside the placenta. One should plan only normal dental check up like cavity fillings and crowns etc, other dental procedures should be avoided during pregnancy as it can risk the developing baby. The dental procedures that demands hours to complete should be avoided because it may create inconvenience to lie on your back for a long time during your second trimester. During pregnancy as the hormones changes the gums swells up which creates infections and bleeding of the gums. These conditions can be prevented by some simple procedures. Sometimes preventive dental cleaning and routine exams during pregnancy is not only safe but also recommended.
What about medications used in dental work during pregnancy?
According to research Dental treatment during pregnancy is safe, it says that dental treatment using anaesthesia is not harmful during pregnancy. You need to keep a track of what medicine is being used as some drug or anaesthesia can affect your pregnancy. The commonly used anaesthesia named Lidocaine is considered safe during pregnancy. It does pass through the placenta but it is not toxic to the developing baby. Hours of long procedures should be avoided as lying on your back for a long time can harm the baby.
What about x-rays used in dental work during pregnancy?
X-rays that are used during dental work are harmless if done with appropriate shielding. As per the American college of radiology no single x-ray has a radiation dose that can cause adverse effects in the developing baby fetus. And according to research it is proved that x-rays are not harmful in a dental work for a pregnant woman. Generally it is said that x-ray are harmful to the fetus; it may not risk in miscarriage or cause any kind of problems in the developing baby, such as birth defects and physical or mental development problems. A repeated exposure to the x-ray can damage the cells of the baby fetus that can increase the risk of cancer.
Final Verdict:
Dental work like cleaning, cavity fillings and crowns can be performed during pregnancy as it can prevent from oral infections. Dental cleaning is advised during pregnancy to prevent from oral infections like gum bleeding, swelling of the gum, and other problems. During pregnancy the hormones changes and leads in swelling of the gums, gums bleeding and as the gums are swollen it holds food particles in it that causes oral infections. To prevent this dental cleaning is recommended. Other dental work which takes hours to complete should be avoided as it can harm the developing baby. Hours of dental work expects you to lie on your back and remain in the same position till the procedure is completed, which is not possible in the second trimester. So to avoid further complications one should postponed some of the dental procedures and plan them after delivery.
Source Link:
Top oral cavity changes during pregnancy
Teeth for Two: Oral Health During Pregnancy