A pregnant woman who has a tooth ache might hesitate before seeing a dentist, wondering how safe treatments might be for her future baby. If you are pregnant, the thought of taking dental x-rays might scare you off from visiting your dentist, because you are not sure how the radiation would affect your baby. Some future mothers would even hesitate to go for a regular dental check-up, not knowing if routine x-rays can harm the baby.
These worries are normal for a pregnant woman to have, especially if it’s her first baby and she wants to take every precaution not to harm him. If you are suffering from a toothache or if you have a dental emergency, you would think that your dentist ideally needs a proper x-ray to detect what the problem is.
Dentists and doctors generally do not recommend that a pregnant woman takes x-rays during the first trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, routine X-rays, which are usually taken during a dental check-up, should be postponed until after childbirth.
Emergency X-rays can be safe, if not carried out during the first three months of pregnancy. Your dentist uses a lead blanket to cover your body and protect your uterus from any radiation. That way your baby is almost totally protected.
Some dentists would also do treatments needing multiple x-rays, such as root canal therapy, but that remains controversial. If you are not sure whether you should start a major dental treatment when you are pregnant, you can discuss it with your dentist. There’s a possibility of starting a major treatment by removing tooth decay or any infection on your tooth or on your gums. Full treatment can be finished after you have given birth. Therefore if you are suffering from dental pain, do not ignore it and call your dentist!
The information above should be used as a reference only. Any medical decision should not be taken before consulting a health care professional.
The masculine gender may have been more used in the article, but without prejudice, to make reading easier.
Category: questions and answers
- Are dental x-rays safe for pregnant women?
- Are teeth alive?
- At what age do children’s teeth start coming out?
- Can an abscess cause a tooth to break apart?
- Can dry mouth be harmful?
- Can heart disease be related to dental care?
- Can teeth grinding affect children?
- Can wisdom teeth move other teeth?
- Can you drink alcohol after tooth extraction?
- Do you have to remove retainers or orthodontic appliances when you eat?
- Does chewing gum after a meal help eliminating dental plaque?
- Does chewing gum eliminate bad breath?
- For which sports should you use a mouthguard?
- How can smokers take care of their oral health?
- How can you get rid of a tooth abscess?
- How can you get rid of an ulcer or a canker sore on your tongue?
- How can you prevent a tooth abscess?
- How can you reduce the effects of dry mouth?
- How can you tell if you have a tooth abscess?
- How can you tell that you are grinding your teeth?
- How can you tell that you have dry mouth?
- How can you treat a tooth abscess?
- How can you treat dry mouth?
- How can you treat teeth grinding?
- How does smoking affect oral health?
- How does smoking affect overall health?
- How is infective endocarditis related to oral health?
- How long does it bleed after wisdom teeth extraction?
- How long does the numbing last after a dentist appointment?
- How many teeth are there in the mouth?
- How soon after tooth extraction can you use a straw?
- How thin are dental veneers?
- Is a root canal painful?
- Is amalgam in teeth (grey fillings) bad for your health?
- Is it necessary to place a dental crown on a tooth that had a root canal?
- Is it normal for gums to bleed when you brush your teeth?
- Is it painful to place a dental implant in your mouth?
- Is smoking bad for your teeth?
- Is there a relationship between dental problems and overall health problems?
- Should people that had a heart attack take precautions when undergoing dental treatments?
- Should people that have a pacemaker take special precautions with their dental care?
- Should people that have had coronary artery bypass surgery take special precautions with their dental care?
- Should people that suffer from congestive heart failure take special precautions with their dental care?
- Should people with angina take precautions when undergoing dental treatments?
- Should people with high blood pressure take precautions when undergoing dental treatments?
- What are the advantages of silver fillings?
- What are the symptoms of having a tooth abscess?
- What can you eat after wisdom teeth extraction?
- What diseases might cause you to have dry mouth?
- What lasts longer, grey or white fillings?
- What may happen if you don’t treat a cavity?
- What might cause you to grind your teeth?
- What might happen if you don’t treat a tooth abscess?
- When can you eat and drink after a tooth filling?
- When can you play sports after wisdom teeth surgery?
- When can you smoke after a tooth extraction?
- When do dissolvable stitches fall out after wisdom teeth extraction?
- Where does a tooth go after extraction?
- Which is better retainers or braces?
- Why are wisdom teeth called “wisdom teeth”?
- Why is teeth-grinding bad for you?
- Why you should not smoke after tooth extraction?
- Will taking antibiotics make the colour of your teeth darker?
