Toothache, root canal, painkillers, antibiotics, generally worried

[Themilkyboobsareonme]

I've got a tooth at the front which is dead (advised some time ago by a dentist) it had been fine until recently and now is agony when I eat anything hot although cold is fine. I did some googling (I know, bad idea) and it seems the pulp is dead and I will need a root canal.

Arrgh, i'm 30+3 and really worried about the prospect of having anaesthetic/antibiotics etc. I have a dentist appmt on Wed so I know I should wait until then and see what they say. Will they advise to wait until after Babba is born or get it over with.

I am concerned if there is an infection which is left untreated that it will affect Bab but i'm also concerned about taking antibiotics will they affect her at this stage? Such conflicting views on google. I had a MMC last year and at the beginning of that preg I had an abscess which needed 3 lots of Amoxicillin and painkillers and a tooth removal. I don't know if it was related to the MMC but I am basically shitting myself now.

Anybody needed any serious dental work done in third trimester and what was the outcome? Reassurance needed please.

I had a root canal started a couple of weeks ago and was only 8 weeks! I had pulpitis in a molar and was in agony so my dentist started the root canal. She removed the pulp and the nerves and put in a temporary filling. In order to complete the root canal I will need an x-ray and despite them being safe in pregnancy (unless you have over 100000 of them!) most dentists don't do them unless absolutely necessary - so she will finish it next year. In the meantime I know the tooth is clean and won't result in an abscess.

I was also given antibiotics the week before that because another dentist thought I had a wisdom tooth infection. I was given amoxicillin which is considered safe in pregnancy. I also took paracetamol almost continually just to function and sleep.

The local anaesthetic they use to.numb your mouth has not been shown to cross the placenta (from the reading I did) and so the most uncomfortable bit is likely to be the sitting with a big bump. My dentist is doing it in stages though and so I'm sure that could be accommodated.

From my research a couple of weeks ago,poor dental health - like leaving an infection etc - was associated with poor outcomes like premature labour much more than dental treatment.

I think the thinking is that if something is routine and can wait then it should, but any necessary treatment should be done with modifications where possible.

I don't know if that helps as obviously I am not as pregnant as you, but I dud do a lot of reading and talked to a number if dentists and obstetricians and thought I'd pass in what I learnt. Good luck.

Absolutely fine to get this seen to when Pregnant.
Go to your dentist. To get immediate pain relief they will remove the dead nerve ( by drilling in to the back of your tooth) , clean it out and dress it with a medicated paste and fill up the access hole with a temporary filling. You will get relief from pain. Antibiotics are not usually required.

The final root filling can be left till after the baby is born but there is no reason not to complete that while pregnant.

MAny dentists will delay the final filling to avoid taking x-rays ( Not that they are known to be harmful but many dentists and patients prefer to avoid when pregnant )

Thanks for your replies I feel a bit better now. Guess i'll see what Dentist says on Wednesday. As long as Bab is OK that's all i'm worried about really.