Wisdom Tooth Pain when Pregnant

[emjadex]

Hi

I'm wondering if anyone can offer some advice. My upper wisdom tooth is coming through and I'm in agony! I can't open my mouth fully and my cheek has swelled.

I went to the dentist yesterday and he said there are no visible signs of infection. I'm 8 weeks pregnant, so they won't remove it or do an X-Ray. They won't prescribe antibiotics unless I'm very unwell. Apparently my wisdom tooth is coming through backwards, towards my jaw, which is causing the pain.

All he could recommend is Paracetamol and salt water rinses. Can anyone else advise on other things I could try?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, sorry not much advice but when I was pregnant I changed dentists and they asked me if I wanted to do the routine new patient x-ray . I declined as it wasn't medically necessary, but they would have done it with my consent. As far as I read up on it, dental x-ray is fairly harmless as it's very topical (and you could even put a lead thing around your belly if that's available) - flying probably exposes you to more radiation.
So if there was any benefit doing an x-ray I'd say ask for one or change dentists... or perhaps just get a second opinion anyway?

Sorry can't help with the pain relief or other options...

I had terrible pain in my wisdom tooth in early pregnancy, it went on its own within 2 ish weeks ! And now its totally fine again! Very strange!

I had mine removed last Monday. I'm pregnant too. It's ok to remove them as long as it's not general anaesthetic

I really feel for you as I had a small white filling while 20 weeks pregnant! While doing she hit a nerve and I suffered until 34 weeks pregnant with what I would say stongly mild pain on and off unroll it became unbearable and I had to go back! Only reason I hadn't before is I've never had any problems with teeth as. Take pride in been 36 with no fillings etc then she hurt me and it scared me plus I know gums are sensitive during pregnancy so was hoping would go away!
Anyway had to get a emergency app where she removed it and put a temporary filling in different materiel she said give it a couple days to calm and if it's ok leave till had baby then they will do me a permanent one in same material! Other than that would be root canal which they wouldn't do till after preg as needs lots of x rays however she said I could have one to look at filling but outcome wouldn't be any different do I didn't bother! So not sure why they won't x ray you also same we antibiotics there's no reason you can't have these whole pregnant!
Anyway after the filling I was obviously numb and it was fab until later that evening when it wore off I felt like I had been kicked in head! Never felt pain like it anyway I ended up taking inroprofen which I know you can't as I was a lot further a lot however you can also get lidocaine from chemist what you put on the area and will numb it I literally lived on cocodamol ibroprofen adm the lidocaine for three days when all of a sudden the pain stopped! And has ever since thank god!!! So you have my sympathy however I feel you may be a little fobbed off as the pin needs sorting!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all of your comments. So they can do an X-Ray, remove the teeth and prescribe antibiotics!

I've got swollen glands in my neck now too so even though he said he couldn't see an infection, it would seem that there is one!

I'm hoping it's going to start clearing up soon with all the advice given. I did ring the dentist today and explained that it had gotten worse. However, they just went on about how they don't like to prescribe antibiotics anyway and they do it even less for pregnant women.

Hi, ah poor you wisdom teeth are horrible.
I was just over 4 weeks pregnant when I started having pain in mine.
It had erupted and was growing in the wrong direction.
I had an X-ray which I was advised would be harmless (some offer an iron apron too), and as it was likely to continue to cause me problems, my dentist extracted the tooth and I was given antibiotics that were safe in pregnancy.
Don’t forget that while you are pregnant and for 12 months after the birth, your dental treatment is free so worth taking advantage of.
Painkiller wise all I could take was paracetamol. Rinsing with TCP and/or salt water is really effective too.
Hope you get it sorted x

My wisdom tooth tends to play up when pregnant. Once right before my due date! I had visions of going into labour with toothache but luckily salt water rinses and really meticulous cleaning around the tooth sorted it in time.

I'm now really careful and try to use mouthwash every time I eat and make sure I really scrub around the wisdom tooth when brushing.

They oils need to take an X-ray to see where the nerve lies if it’s a lower wisdom tooth, because they can sit very close to inferior dental nerve, if when the tooth is remove the damage the nerve it can lead to permanent numbness or permanent to tingling sensation. So being so early pregnant ray probably don’t want to take an X-ray as baby is still developing rapidly and although the radiation dose is tiny, it’s still a dose we wouldn’t want to give you unless absolutely necessary.
Taking the tooth out shouldn’t be a problem, they may refer you do an oral surgeon as it’s distally impacted and sounds like it would be a surgical extraction rather than a simple one. They may need to dissect the tooth to remove it.

But other than the fact it might be a bit of a sore few days afterwards, and the dose of radiation there is no reason why you could have it done if you gave them permission to take the X-ray and get it out. They just want to be overly cautious, but if you’re not coping with the pain then it needs to be done.

I hope you get something sorted OP.

@LouH1981 ha, I didn’t know whether to inform you that it’s actually a lead apron, although iron apron sounds so much cooler! We had a lovely khaki leather one in my old practice and it really was something you’d see from the war. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen though so hoping some places have much nicer ones!

Anbesol really helps me! I've got all 4 cutting through at once, two have been for the last 10 years. Really numbs my gums.

I had a wisdom tooth out when I was 28 weeks pregnant. The amount of radiation in a tooth x-ray is the equivalent of two weeks in Cornwall apparently! Had painkillers, antibiotics and local anaesthetic, although not ideal during pregnancy, are considered preferable to extreme pain and the accompanying stress hormones. I also delayed the start of my blood thinning injections for a week.

My obstetric consultant prescribed strong painkillers.

Good luck, toothache is awful

If it's any consolation, my wisdom teeth have shifted around lots over the years and pften cause pain but it always subsides. And re. what sexless said - I did once have numbness along my jaw, and the emergency dentist recommended removing the tooth. When I then got an appointment at a regular dentist to arrange this, she confirmed the tooth root was close to the nerve and that indeed removing it would result in permanent nerve damage and numbness. So glad I got that second opinion. Numbness went away a few days later.
I had a dental appointment recently (thank you maternity exemption certificate) and my dentist told me I needed new XRays but wouldn't do them when i was pregnant.
Could you see a GP about it and try for antibiotics there?

@SexlessBoulderBelly Ha! Ooops 🙈 I thought twice when I typed it. 12 days post partum so mega baby brain! Unless our dental practice is really archaic 😂👍🏻

I had this and it did turn out to be an infection. I didn't have a dentist, so I went to my GP and they were happy to prescribe antibiotics. I think they are more used to doing do for pregnant patients than dentists.
Anyway the infection went away and my tooth is now fine - didn't need removal, was a problem with the gum and it went away once the tooth was fully erupted.

Try the GP.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all of your replies and advice! I ended up at an Emergency Dentist today as mine wouldn't budge on their stance with antibiotics.

The dentist took one look and, as he put it, I have a "nasty infection" and it was good that we caught it before it got any worse! I've completely lost faith in my normal dental practice now. I pay for private and I'm going to look for an NHS one taking on instead.

I'm on a five day course of Metronidazole and was advised to continue salt water rinses and dose up on Paracetamol. He said if it happens again, the guidance says the tooth should be removed and ideally this is in the second trimester.

Thanks again everyone! Currently feeling very sorry for myself as my bloody restless legs are now playing up too. I've heard so many people say you get a new lease of life after the first twelve weeks of pregnancy and I'm praying that it's true!

Had two of mine out when pregnant at about 30 weeks. I'd go to a different dentist.