What would you do? Root canal in third trimester?

[Sabee]

Hi!

I am in my last trimester - just over 34 weeks.

I have a tooth with a filling that has deteriorated over the last month or so, bits of it have fallen away. There is now a gap between the tooth and the filling, which the dentist has said is a bit wobbly.

The dentist has suggested an X-ray, and then potentially a root canal with injection etc.

I am unsure what to do! The appointment will be next month, just before my due date (but of course, no one knows when the baby could arrive!)

I know many dentists find it ok to do X-rays etc, as its low level and entered on mouth - although I am unsure of the injections etc.

What I am worried about is how I would feel after, considering I can only take paracetamol?

Theres no question my tooth needs to be attended to, but I am not currently in pain. (I was a few months ago, but it has stopped, took ages to get an appointment)

Would you do it sooner or later?

I really do not want to have toothache (due to my tooth getting worse) with a new baby! Neither do I want to be in pain at the moment, I have a million other health issues to deal with.

But if I get it done now, will it prevent major deterioration, or will be ok to wait a few months?

Would appreciate any comments, incase I haven't thought of anything, or if anyone has had theirs done and they could share their experiences

Thank you

I'm a dental nurse. You have a few options. Ideally any dental work would only be done in the second trimester but can be done in the others if necessary.

If your tooth is painful or part of the nerve is exposed (risking pain and infection) I would probably just go ahead and start the root canal if it were me.

You can get anesthetic without adrenaline to reduce risk to the baby and you could opt to just do the first stage of the root canal now and finish it after the baby is born if you want. The first stage should prevent any pain and infection but can also cause pain and inflammation to begin sometimes.

So I suppose it depends on what you're comfortable risking. Also dental X-rays have around the same radiation as a short haul flight but you can refuse the X-ray if you want but could probably only get the first stage without one and some dentists may not even do that.

Hope that makes sense!

Hi
I'm 23 weeks preg and went for a check up a month ago to be told I needed a tiny filling (not felt pains or anything before!) I've never had any fillings and really look after my teeth so was devastated however dentist assured me it's tiny and would be white! I agreed!
Since having it done 3 weeks ago I have suffered with nothing but pain in my tooth ear and head! She now says I may need root canal I am mortified and also pissed off and really wished I had waited as the pain it's causing me is just not needed on top of pregnancy, personally o know your tooth needs dealing with but I would wait and possibly wait till baby couple months old! However do what you feel is best hun
Hope you sort soon xxx

I had two wisdom teeth removed while pregnant as they kept getting infected. I was 30+ weeks. Didnt do an xray though. Dentist told me I can take low dose of cocodamol if needed. But didnt need anything more than paracetamol. I would get it done as soon as you can imagine even less sleep because of pain.

Id say only get it done if your in pain,if you dont then wait until your baby is born x

Hi I had a root canal last year and didn't need any pain medication after at all. I had to have about three appointments though, to do root canal, measure for crown and then fit crown.

Thank you for all the replies

I guess my concern is also that my appointment is in mid september which is very near my due date - and I am not sure whether I want to have this process started and going on then, with potentially me giving birth in or in between appointments!