Saturday 11 April 2015

The Dental Treatments For During Pregnancy

Pregnancy and dental work questions are common for expecting moms. Preventive dental treatments cleanings and annual exams during pregnancy are not only safe, but are recommended. The rise in hormone levels during pregnancy causes the gums to swell, bleed, and trap food causing increased irritation to your gums. Preventive dental treatments work while pregnant is essential to avoid oral infections such as gum disease, which has been linked to preterm birth.

Pregnancy can lead to dental problems in some women, including gum disease and increased risk of tooth decay. During pregnancy, your increased hormones can affect your body’s response to plaque (the layer of germs on your teeth).Pregnancy does not automatically damage your teeth. The old wives’ tale that warns a woman to expect a lost tooth for every baby is false. If the mother’s intake of calcium is inadequate during pregnancy, her bones not her teeth care will provide the calcium her growing baby needs. This calcium loss is quickly made up after breastfeeding is stopped. However, the demands of pregnancy can lead to particular dental problems in some women.                            

Brushing

It is more important than ever to brush and floss your teeth effectively during your pregnancy. Brush regularly and thoroughly (though not too vigorously) after meals or sugary snacks, at least twice a day.

X-ray scans

The estimated fetal dose in a single dental exposure is 0.01 mrad. It is known that doses less than 5 rad are not associated with increased congenital malformations22; therefore, dental x-ray scans should not be cause for concern. A UK epidemiologic study of a cohort of 7375 mothers did not find a significant association between use of dental x-ray scans and LBW or preterm delivery.23 In addition, to put things into perspective, a case-control study found no overall increased risk of childhood brain tumour after exposure to prenatal abdominal x-ray scan, which produces many times higher radiation exposure than dental x-ray scans.4

Regular dental work 

Dental work while pregnant such as cavity fillings and crowns should be treated to reduce the chance of infection. If dental work is done during pregnancy, the second trimester is ideal. Once you reach the third trimester, it may be very difficult to lie on your back for an extended period of time. The safest course of action is to postpone all unnecessary dental treatment work until after the birth.

Anesthetics

The use of local anesthetics as an adjuvant in 823 pregnant women with periodontal therapy did not increase adverse fetal outcomes.10,11 In addition, an update in the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association maintains that it is safe to use local anesthetics during pregnancy; however, it also underlines that aspiration must be carried out to minimize the likelihood of intravascular injection.



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