dental work while pregnant

[marcia3381]

hi ladies

i am looking for a bit of advice on if its safe to get dental work while pregnant, i am 20 weeks and my back tooth chipped last week and just this morning another filling came out, they are not sore at the mo but it is very awkward to eat, i have made an app for next week, while they be able to do denatl work on me while am pregnant and also do u think its the pregnancy that is causing my teeth to break, i have not had any probs with my teeth for years! i was wondering if maybe the baby was taking all the calcium or something, thanks in advance for ur help

I had to have a lot of dental work earlier in my pregnancy. A lot of pregnant woman do find they have problems with their teeth apparently.

You may be given two options for the filling ( I was) - one will be a temporary filling which would be free under your free NHS treament while pregnant which you would then get done again with a permanent metal filling after you have had the baby or you can have a white filling but it's not free on NHS. They can't give you metal fillings while pregnant because they have mercury in them.

I had to have root canal, a tooth out, fillings removed and xrays during my pregnancy and I am petrified of the dentist but everything is fine now, no problems with the baby, so don't worry too much!!

I had a white filling for free on the NHS with my maternity exemption card - dentist said she def could not do a metal one (which tbh I wouldn't have wanted anyway), but that a white one was fine.

Best person to speak to would be your dentist. Mine is a mum, so she was honest,and able to tell me what work she would have had done whilst pregnant, and what she wouldnt. I think most of the risk is in the first 3 months but not certain.

Ex dentist speaking here!

Yes, its fine to have treatment under local (although they may use a different type of local anaesthetic). Best time to get it done since its free.

Amalgam fillings can be removed and placed if a rubber dam is used, although best left til afterwards unless essential.

You may prefer not to lie totally flat if it makes you feel dizzy, so let your dentist know if that's the case.

Small x-rays are fine too, as the radiation is less than flying somewhere.

Pregnancy does not cause teeth to break, that is coincidental. However it can affect the gums so make sure you brush and floss thoroughly (including brushing the gums) and get a scale and polish. As long as you do that it will be fine.