Hello, I'm pregnant for the first time, 23 weeks today. I've been lucky so far because I've had very few pregnancy related problems, but
recently my left wisdom tooth has become painful and I've also noticed 2 small cavities in other teeth.
Having this pain all the time is affecting my mood and having dental problems is very triggering for me, because when I was a teenager my mum used to have severe toothache but she didn't have enough money to get treated properly and often she was in agony. I used to feel very sorry for her and I promised to myself that I would always take good care of my teeth to avoid being in that situation. My mum didn't have a good life and my family struggled a lot and things didn't end well. I always have this fear that my life will gradually get worse and I will end up the same way, so now that I have cavities I feel so worried and so guilty for eating a lot of chocolate recently and forgetting that teeth are less strong during pregnancy.
I would like to give my baby a good life when she's here but I'm afraid I'll be in chronic pain and struggling like my parents.
I know pregnant women are entitled to free NHS dental care but the NHS is so broken that I'm scared of even asking my midwife. I could go private but I'm afraid the costs will be too high and it won't be a smooth journey anyway.
Thank you for reading, I needed to share this with other pregnant women. I'd love to hear something that will make me feel better and also your experiences if you've been in a similar situation. Xxx