Bethany – Austin, TX
Bethany,
While many elective and cosmetic dental treatments should be postponed until after pregnancy, emergency dental procedures should not wait. You and the baby are in more danger without treatment, because you don’t wan tthe infection to spread.
This ideas time for treatment is the second trimester. First trimester is the most vulnerable time in pregnancy, and in the third trimester most pregnant women have a difficult time laying on their backs for the amount of time a root canal can take.
If you’re not in a good trimester for it, especially the first, have a discussion with your dentist about alternative, temporary treatments , like a temporary filling, until you get to a place where you are more comfortable to have the root canal performed.
The most common concern in a root canal procedure while pregnant is the use of antibiotics (often prescribed to treat or prevent infection), and the use of x-rays (needed to see root before and after root canal therapy). Antibiotics such as penicillin, amoxicillin, and clindamycin, which are labeled category B for safety in pregnancy, may be prescribed after your procedure. According to the American College of Radiology, no single diagnostic x-ray has a radiation dose significant enough to cause adverse effects in a developing embryo or fetus. Ultimately, it’s up to you to discuss with your dentist and OB all of the factors involved, and make an informed decision should the benefit outweigh the risk.
I hope this puts you more at ease. This blog is brought to you by Dr. Warren Krutchick.
