toothache and x-rays

[nearlymumofone]

This is kind of a two parter.

Firstly I have HORRENDOUS toothache. Awful pain (hence up typing at 4am) as I can't even sleep. Does anyone know what you can/can't have done tooth-wise during pregnancy? I'm just waiting for nhs direct to call back!!

Secondly, whilst googling 'toothache and pregnancy' I found a few things which said you can't have x-rays. My dentist gave me 2 x-rays 2 months ago assuring me that this has NO effect on the baby at all. But now I'm worried... Anyone know anything about this?

I had an x ray on my hand when about 6 wks pregnant. The radiographer said there was nothing in the guidelines that warned against it as it was not of the abdomen.

I had toothache in pregnancy too & the dentist would not xray because I was pregnant. She gave me ab to take, mine seemed to be sinus infection causing the toothache though.

Hope you get some relief soon, tooth ache is truly awful.

I had serious toothache when I was about 22 / 23 weeks pregnant, I went off to the dentist but refused the xrays - she wanted me to have an xray. I said no way. But she gave me the filling I needed and all was well ....

Just took paracetamol and put sensodyne or colgate sensitive toothpaste on the area too ... feel better soon!

The x-rays are very unlikely to affect your baby. Dental xrays are very localised & with the new machines leakage etc is very minimal if at all. There is no accumulative effect either.

My dentist refused to xray me until I have had bump. :( need a filling I think, too. Hope they can sort you out. :)

The radiation dose from dental X-rays is minuscule - less than the extra you'd get from natural background radiation from a couple of days in Cornwall compared to London.

The general principle is to minimise the dose to the fetus, so some people are very cautious. But the guidelines we go by in my neck of the woods are that unless the X-ray is between nipple and knee, then go ahead. And if it is between nipple and knee, then think about it first, then maybe go ahead, maybe not.

Agree with Spindelina

My dm had to have xrays with db2 to show her the position of the baby as he was breech, so the xrays were specifically aimed at baby.