MEDICAL INSIDER
DR. RHODA ENTERO
Dental Care During Pregnancy
Part 5
Dental Medications and Procedures for Pregnant Women
We are still in our main topic on Dental Care during
Pregnancy. Our specific topic today is entitled: Dental
Medications and Procedures for Pregnant Woment.
Dental hygiene is important for pregnant women so
medications and procedures are allowed and can be safely
carried out to prevent dental conditions from getting worse.
Let us remember that it is generally recommended to avoid
dental treatments during the first trimester since this is the
time when your baby is developing his or her vital organs.
Treatments are best performed during the second trimester.
There will be no harmful effects on the baby if procedures will
be conducted during the third trimester but it might be more
difficult for the mom to get comfortable in the dental chair as
her belly is probably big and heavy by then.
If you are an expectant mother, you have to make sure to let
your dentist know about your pregnancy and align with your
obstetrician for precautions or instructions in case dental
procedures need to be done. You have to be open to your
dentist on the prescribed drug names and dosages given by
your attending physician so that your dentist can adjust the
dental treatment plan based on your specific circumstances.
Here are some tips you have to know about dental
procedures that you can safely undergo while you are
pregnant and dental procedures you are to undergo only after
the baby is born.
Tooth extraction can be performed during the second
trimester. Procedure requirements such as X-rays,
antibiotics, and anesthetics are all completely safe. X-rays
can cause no harm if performed properly.
Usually, pregnant women are advised to wear a leaded
apron and thyroid shield to minimize radiation exposure of
their abdomen and thyroid gland, respectively. Note that the
recommended antibiotics for pregnant women are amoxicillin
and penicillin. Other antibiotics need to be avoided as those
may stain or discolor your baby’s teeth, which will develop
three (3) months into the pregnancy.
For anesthetics, lidocaine has been proven as safe during
pregnancy. There is a study on the August 2015 issue of the
Journal of the American Dental Association, in which
expecting mothers have undergone dental procedures that
involved anesthetics like lidocaine. No harm was noted
during their pregnancies.
Root canal (a procedure that involves removing the pulp
under the infected teeth so it will not affect the periapical
region) can also be done during the second trimester.
If you had braces even before your pregnancy, you are
encouraged to have routine check-ups even while
expecting. Do you remember the hormonal changes?
These changes might loosen your teeth, which means
that your orthodontic treatment plan should be adjusted.
Imagine all the discomforts that you will have when you
are planning to get braces when you are pregnant –
morning sickness, cravings, and many more.
Performing elective procedures or non-essential
dental procedures like teeth bleaching or whitening are
encouraged only after the baby is born.
However, there is no solid evidence yet that these can
be harmful to your baby except for the discomfort that
you may experience during the said procedures. If you
have your own teeth whitening kit at home, make sure to
keep the level of hydrogen peroxide at six (6) percent
because higher concentrations may damage your
tissues. (To be continued)