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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To request to be put to sleep having tooth extracted?

48 replies

Neverbroken · 30/05/2019 16:21

Okay so here’s the deal I have an impacted wisdom tooth and next to it a tooth that’s pretty much in half. Paracetamol, clove oil, salt water rinses nothing is touching it. I didn’t sleep a wink lastnight and went to the dentist today he numbed me and was going to take the tooth out but then said they didn’t have the equipment necessary to do so because of the impacted one.During giving me the injection I nearly jumped out of his chair with pain and fear. He had to stop. I have the dental hospital in the morning AIBU to ask to be put to sleep and can they if I’m 19 weeks pregnant?

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 30/05/2019 16:24

Yes you can have anesthetic when pregnant you can but ask my sister is getting hers out under anesthetic she is on a list though and just managing the pain.

MarjoryDawess · 30/05/2019 16:24

YANBU, I asked to be put to sleep to have my two wisdom teeth extracted at the dental hospital in Cardiff. So glad I did, the experience would have been horrendous if I’d been numbed but conscious in the dentist chair.

Smolo · 30/05/2019 16:26

What about asking for nitrous oxides instead? You will feel wonderfully relaxed, it won't affect the baby and you'll be able to drive home straight afterwards.

kaytee87 · 30/05/2019 16:27

You can have a GA whilst pregnant but they don't usually do it unless it's emergency surgery afaik.

pumpkinpie01 · 30/05/2019 16:28

I did , the dentist numbed the area 5 times over 2 separate visits and for some reason it didn’t work. I waited about 2 months for a hospital appointment.

YouBumder · 30/05/2019 16:28

Sedation for dental treatment is not uncommon so YANBU.

I had all 4 of my severely impacted wisdom teeth out under local anaesthetic in the dental hospital though as I didn’t want to have to recover from GA/sedation. It was OK and I’m a nervous dental patient, albeit not phobic. But it’s not at all an unreasonable thing to ask

HowDidItEndUpLikeThis · 30/05/2019 16:29

I was sedated for a similar procedure rather than GA - is this an option?

MissConductUS · 30/05/2019 16:29

What about asking for nitrous oxides instead?

I tried nitrous oxide for a tooth extraction and it did very little for me. I still needed Novocaine. It's worth a try, but not a sure thing.

kaytee87 · 30/05/2019 16:30

I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth out whilst awake a few years ago and it really wasn't that bad. I appreciate we're all different but I've had 7 GA's and would much rather be awake. They affect my memory and make me feel crap (although that could also be the strong painkillers I've had before & after surgeries).
I'm due an operation to remove a bone spur on my ankle and think I'll ask to stay awake for it.

MLMhun · 30/05/2019 16:30

I had two wisdom teeth out under local a few months ago and it was fine.

However, yesterday I had two fillings and wished I’d been under GA for that!

MontStMichel · 30/05/2019 16:30

I had my 4 partially erupted wisdom teeth removed under GA, and I am glad I did, because my dentist said he could see what difficult extractions they were by the amount of scar tissue!

Smolo · 30/05/2019 18:00

@MissConductUS Yes, she would still need a local anaesthetic but the nitrous oxide will relax her.

OP you need to ask them to numb your gum with gel before they put the anaesthetic in.

babynumber2onboard · 30/05/2019 18:05

YANBU, but please consider the risks of being put under for a tooth extraction! Also, the waiting lists for general anaesthetics are so long it's best to ask for sedation

JADS · 30/05/2019 18:12

You can ask to be put to sleep, but the waiting list will be long and they will not do it while you are pregnant.

FaithInfinity · 30/05/2019 18:12

I worked in theatres. The only pregnant patients I think I ever saw were appendicitis. GA increases the risk of miscarriage so they will only do it for true emergencies (appendix, trauma that can’t wait); really where the mother’s life may be at risk if they don’t operate. I can’t imagine many people would be willing to give you a GA for a tooth extraction whilst pregnant. I would suggest you try with the local - explain you’re anxious and ask for all you can have. If they don’t get it out, it’ll have to wait until after you’ve had the baby. (I had an op postponed myself while I was pregnant).

AwdBovril · 30/05/2019 18:21

I had general anaesthetic for 2 wisdom teeth removed, as I'd had a local for the first one removed & couldn't go through it again. They needed removing as I'd developed sepsis with the first one, the second & third were developing the same problem & I flat refused a local. I wasn't pregnant though, I don't know how that affects things.

Nemesia1264 · 30/05/2019 18:22

Wait until you go to the dental hospital tomorrow, they will be able to help you but it will be local anaesthetic OP. It's extremely unlikely you'll be able to have sedation of any type or GA while pregnant. Sorry.

qj17 · 30/05/2019 18:28

No they will not put you to sleep while pregnant nor will they give you sedation whilst pregnant.
I do this for a living btw.
Option is to wait until pregnancy is over, or to have treatment with local anaesthetic only. They will usually only do this in the second trimester obviously there can be some exceptions dependent on severity.

Ohnotanothernamechange · 30/05/2019 19:40

Ive had an impacted wisdom tooth removed under local aneasthetic. I didn't feel a thing, it was really quick and in fact the worst bit was the needle itself which wasn't all that painful either. Afterwards I wondered why I'd worried about it so much.

Mrsjayy · 30/05/2019 20:39

My apologies but I had an operation while pregnant and had a didn't mean to misinform. I hope you get it sorted out

Mrsjayy · 30/05/2019 20:40

General anesthetic*

PookieDo · 30/05/2019 20:42

I had sedation for 1 tooth and GA for the other 4
I wouldn’t and couldn’t have done it under nothing! So impacted

I have facial nerve damage because they were so impacted and glad I was asleep as it all broke and they had to pick one of them out piece by piece!

FermatsTheorem · 30/05/2019 20:42

I had gas and air as well as local for a wisdom tooth extraction, and it was fab. I was so out of it (think 5 pints drunk) that you could have done anything and I wouldn't have cared.

Having said that, mine was a very straightforward extraction. But it is worth thinking about if they say you can't have a GA because you're pregnant.

PookieDo · 30/05/2019 20:43

*other 3 in fact Blush

Wallywobbles · 30/05/2019 20:51

I don't know exactly what they did to me but I used to be injected in the arm, due to extreme phobia and lots of nerve damage. And when I began to hallucinate they knew I'd had enough and they'd start on my teeth. I couldn't drive after though. And I wasn't pregnant.