Pregnancy can lead to a number of oral health problems due to the surge in hormones. It is important to practice good oral hygiene for your health and that of the unborn baby. Some dental procedures are painful and require the dentist to administer anesthetics. What happens if you are pregnant?
Why You Might Need Anesthetic
You might have oral health problems related to pregnancy or preexisting conditions that may require you to undergo a dental procedure. Some of these procedures are explained below.
Tooth extraction. This is the last thing that a dentist will do after trying all the possible ways to save your tooth. If a tooth is severely damaged due to an injury or decay, it has to be pulled to avoid infection which can affect your overall health. In this case, the dentist will use anesthetics to numb the pain.
Root canal procedure. An excruciating pain results from tooth decay that spreads inside the tooth to the nerves. This procedure can be used to remove the tissues in your tooth to stop the pain and avoid extraction.
Extraction of wisdom teeth. These teeth are difficult to reach and removing them can be stressful. The tooth might also be impacted hence making the procedure lengthy.
Factors to Consider Before Anesthetic
You should inform the dentist that you are pregnant before any dental procedure. There are anesthetics that are safe for pregnant women such as lidocaine. It passes through the placenta but does not cause any harm to the fetus. The lowest concentration of anesthetic is used for the procedure to make sure you do not feel pain so your baby will not be stressed. Visit our clinic if you are pregnant and need a dental procedure, call us to book an appointment.
Location
1739 NE 122nd Ave Portland, OR 97230-1914
Hours
Mondays & Tuesdays: 7 AM - 3 PM Wednesdays & Thursdays: 8 AM - 5 PM Fridays: Closed
Pregnancy can lead to a number of oral health problems due to the surge in hormones. It is important to practice good oral hygiene for your health and that of the unborn baby. Some dental procedures are painful and require the dentist to administer anesthetics. What happens if you are pregnant?