Pregnancy is a rewarding yet challenging experience for many mothers. A mother’s body goes through a lot when they are pregnant, meaning that they will attend many doctor’s appointments throughout the pregnancy. These appointments are vital to make sure that both mother and baby are doing well. However, there are certain types of doctor’s appointments that may need to wait until after the pregnancy has been completed. If you are planning on visiting the dentist while pregnant, there are several recommendations that are important to keep in mind.
Visiting The Dentist While Pregnant
Visiting the dentist is important during every part of your life in order to keep your teeth in a healthy condition. However, pregnancy can cause certain complications with dental visits. If you are pregnant, it is important to be extra careful. That is why some dentists will not see you during pregnancy unless it is an emergency. There are certain conditions that are important to meet before visiting the dentist while pregnant.
Keep Up Your Regular Oral Care
Keeping up with your regular oral care routine is extremely important during pregnancy. Good oral hygiene will decrease the likelihood of contracting certain oral conditions including cavities and gingivitis. Pregnant women are at higher risk of these conditions as well as developing other problems such as periodontal disease. Proper oral health practices such as flossing, brushing twice a day, and keeping in contact with the dentist will lead to better health for both the mother and the baby.
Second Trimester Is Better
We at Bismarck Dental recommend that if you are going in for a dental check up or for a dental procedure while pregnant that you wait for the second trimester. The reason for this is that women typically experience morning sickness during the first trimester.
It would be extremely uncomfortable for a pregnant woman to have a dentist perform an exam or a procedure in her mouth when experiencing morning sickness. It is alright to visit the dentist while in the third trimester, but it can be very uncomfortable for the mother, as she will be laying on her back. So, it is advisable that if you are going to visit the dentist while pregnant to visit while in your second trimester.
Check With Your Dentist If It Is An Emergency
In most cases, diagnostic and restorative dental treatment is alright during pregnancy. However, each situation is different, meaning that it is important to check with your dentist before certain procedures. If there is an emergency dental problem, consult your doctor to make sure that the procedure would be appropriate for your needs.
Avoid Exposure To Nitrous Gas
If you are in need of a procedure that requires nitrous oxide gas to perform, it will have to wait until after pregnancy. Nitrous gas (a.k.a. laughing gas) could potentially cause harm to the baby if it is administered to the mother. Women who are pregnant and working in the dental field should also avoid nitrous oxide. Be careful about agreeing to certain dental procedures where you will have to be under anesthesia or exposed to nitrous oxide.
Are You In Need Of A Dentist While Pregnant?
We at Bismarck Advanced Dental are conservative when it comes to seeing pregnant patients. Due to the potential difficulties that certain procedures could cause, we will only see clients under certain conditions. If you reach out to us regarding a need for a certain procedure, we will work with you to see if it would be appropriate for your specific situation. We are happy to give you more information about our services, visiting the dentist while pregnant, and how we could be of service to you. Reach out to us today for further information.