Wisdom tooth in pregnancy
The pregnancy period is a special time for every woman. It is filled with pleasant worries and the joy of waiting for the baby. But, on top of that, the mother-to-be is faced with a multitude of complex issues relating to her health. One of them: are wisdom teeth and pregnancy.
About wisdom teeth
“Wisdom teeth have their peculiarities and are different from other teeth in many ways. They have no milk precursors to “point the way” for them to sprout. In addition, wisdom teeth may erupt at any age. For these reasons, wisdom teeth cause many problems, including during pregnancy period.
Preparing for Pregnancy
It is advisable to start thinking about the condition of your teeth even before pregnancy. The fact is that wisdom teeth may not bother you for a while. It is therefore worth seeing a dentist in preparation for this important period. He will take an X-ray, in which the position of the wisdom teeth can be seen exactly.
What are wisdom teeth like?
Teeth that have not erupted. The wisdom tooth often begins to erupt in adulthood, causing discomfort or does not erupt at all.
Receding teeth. In this case, the wisdom teeth begin to press on the neighbouring teeth, destroying them.
Sometimes, the wisdom tooth will not erupt fully, resulting in the so-called “impacted”. This is an area of gum that overhangs the tooth. Food debris gets trapped underneath and causes an inflammation. A dentist can help in this case: he or she will simply remove a small area of gum, exposing the wisdom tooth.
When a doctor decides to remove a wisdom tooth
The tooth lies sideways, so it will cause problems in any case
It is knocked out of alignment and causes injuries.
The gum above it often becomes inflamed and the hood re-emerges after extraction
It cannot be reached and thus cannot be treated properly
The result is not worth the effort: the wisdom tooth has no functional purpose and the complicated and costly treatment is useless
During pregnancy
Are you experiencing dental discomfort? The first thing you should do is make an appointment with your dentist. Dental treatment during pregnancy is not only impossible, but it is also necessary. The doctor will identify the exact cause of the discomfort and offer the safest and most appropriate solution.
if a tooth is sprouting
When a tooth is just trying to erupt without causing any inflammation, you can help it. Massaging the gum and biting into hard food is enough. Sometimes, however, an abscess develops – in this case, make an appointment to see your doctor immediately.
There are a few simple things you can do to help with inflammation before visiting the doctor:
Give your mouth a bath with warm soda or salt solution
Gargle with mouthwash your mouth decoction of chamomile, calendula or sage
Brew tea with ginger and lemon: they also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Can a wisdom tooth be extracted during pregnancy?
Tooth extraction during pregnancy is not advisable. However, the dentist always considers the condition of the teeth in the individual case. He or she will try to save the tooth and postpone the surgical procedure if possible. In case of intolerable pain, cyst formation or inflammation, the doctor will decide to extract the tooth. The procedure will be carried out using a local anaesthetic.
An unerupted tooth is a source of infection. The risk is much higher than when anaesthetics are used during treatment. Therefore, it is very important to solve the wisdom tooth problem in order to avoid complications for the mother and her baby.
Dental treatment during pregnancy
Preferably, all treatments for wisdom teeth should be postponed until after the 3rd to 6th month of pregnancy. However, this is for planned treatment, i.e. for cases where urgent action by the doctor or anaesthesia is not required. If something hurts or is swollen, however, see your doctor immediately. It is important to understand that a dental problem does not resolve itself, you need the help of a specialist.
Modern anaesthetics are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The doctor chooses a suitable remedy that does not penetrate through the placenta or into the milk. The medications used are ultracaine or lidocaine for application to the site of the inflammation.
Before the wisdom tooth can be worked on, the doctor has to take an X-ray. This is essential in all cases. Dental clinics use a videograph – a modern low-dose X-ray. To compare: during a walk in the summer sun, you receive the same dose of radiation as when taking 80-2500 pictures with a videograph. Therefore, this examination is completely safe for pregnant women.
Any questions? Ask us
Wisdom teeth often grow unpredictably and can present themselves at the most inopportune moment. The problem will not go away by itself, it cannot be endured or postponed. This is why the help of a dentist is important, especially during pregnancy.
Make an appointment for a consultation at DMC Tour and we will help you.