I am 6 wks pregnant, should i say yes to operation involving x-rays and antibiotics

[Diddle]

Ok I will have to put a bit fo history for thsi to make sense.
I am just under 6 wks pregnant this is my 3rd pregnancy this year the first 2 ended in miscarriage, so i am understandably worried about doing anything to effect this pregnancy.
I have got to have surgery on my gum i have an abcess, and it needs removing. The doctors today told me i needed an xray. I immediately refused and told him why, eh said that there wasn't much risk with dental x-rays and that i would be ok. I still refused. He did advise that i had the surgery and x-rays before the baby was born as my gums could flare up with all the hormones flying about. I have no idea what to do!!! someone tell me what you would do, please!

I'd just wait until later on in the pregnancy I think.

Hunny best person to talk with is your mw. But saying that, I think a dental x-ray would be ok as it only takes a piccy of head. Ask around or I'm sure someone here will have advice.
xxxxx

Hon, you really, really need to have that abcess removed and you'll need antibiotics to clear the infection. There are antibiotics on the market that are safe to use during pregnancy.

some views here

whenever I have a x-ray at the dentist he always asks if I'm PG first.

BUT I think I can remeber having one when I was PG with one of the Ds's....I just had to wear one of those big heavy vest things.

Definitely get the abcess removed. Things could get much more painful and dangerous if you let the infection get worse!!

thanks guys, thats what the doc said but i wanted to get my facts right before i did anything, he said the x ray would be safer in my 2nd trimester which is when the op is due anyway, so if i get that far then i think i might have it done.

sorry but i would avoid i blame my 2nd mc on having wisdom teeth removed under anesthetic at 11 weeks then being put on antibiotics for infection, they said there was a 'small chance but recomended it to me, regret this now, sorry just be carefull x

thanks connyflower - i need opinions and experinces liek yours, thank you.

ooooooooooo diddle congrates to you hun.

in terms of dental xray do they not have the sheets u can wear for the xray [really heavy vest things]

For the antibiotics there are some that are safe in pregnancy.

thanks nemo - yeh they do have those lead coat thingas, but i wanted to do my homework before agrreing to anything and i wasn't expecting an x ray as i've had some done at the dentist before i was pregnant.

As a dentist I do try to do the minimalamount of work possible when patients are pregnant, but having said that there are some instances where the patient is in a situation where you simply can't defer treatment. Obviously once the pregnancy is "more established" (i.e. into the second trimester) it is safer to do various treatments. A dental x-ray uses a very small amount of radiation in comparison to, say, a chest x-ray, and in addition the direction of the radiation isn't towards the utereus so if its necessary for the surgery I wouldn't be overly concerned. In addition, some people (but not everyone) experinece problems with gums due to hormones during pregnancy so any existing situation couldbe aggravated. Obviuosly without knowing your exact circumstances I'm not advising you to go either way. Pressumably if you are able to wait until you are in to the second trimester you don't have a raging infection and pain, so possibly I would consider a wait and see situation.

thanks chicagomum - thats great advice, i think i would be happier waiting and seeing how i am, definitly not doing anything until into my 2nd trimester.