WWYD - major dental issue during pregnancy

I had a very large filling done around 18 months ago, at the time the dentist gave me no guarantee as to how long the filling would last and if it would last at all.

I have this morning come up with this lump on the side of my gum (where the same tooth is) and I went to the dentist this afternoon. He's advised me that it's possible the tooth is dead & I may need root canal or an extraction.

It's not sore at all so is not bothering me - I'm just worried it's going to harm bub. He said we can either extract (which I don't really want to do for many reasons but especially seeing as they can't fill the gaping hole until after the baby is born - you can see it when I smile), or, he can fill it with a temporary filling and do root canal after the baby is born. No guarantee that the new temporary filling will hold until after the birth either.

He suggested we could do maximum 1 x-ray but I declined, I had some taken in Jan this year so I will just give him those to go off.

Has anyone had any experience with major dental problems during pregnancy? I don't care what I have to go through I just want to do what is best for bub. Am a little stressed now.

well i think you need to get it fixed. maybe try and go for the temprary filling just to bide you some time. as far as i know having dental xrays isnt that much of a big deal as you wear the lead apron and it is directed so closely to your teeth so one or two wouldnt hurt. last pregnancy i had 2 fillings done. a co-worker of mine got a badly decayed and infected tooth when she was about 2 months out from due date so she had to go on antibiotics and have the tooth immediately fixed up. you should consult your GP and dentist i reckon but it is better to get it fixed or it could become infected.

Don't leave it hun. I'd say it has died, and now has an abcess. The reason it's not hurting is because the infection has somewhere to go, ie. has formed a lump, rather than sitting (painfully)in the bone. I would say that it's pretty definite you will need RCT or the tooth extracted. The reason he's suggested an xray now is see if there's infection present (der) and where it is.

I would suggest going for the temporary filling over the extraction. They can use materials that are sedative, which might just stop the tooth from becoming sore. The problem with just doing the filling is that you run the risk of the tooth becoming very painful. But really, the best course of action would be to have the first stage of the RCT done, where they open the tooth, remove the dead nerve, and put a dressing inside the tooth, with a temporary filling over the top. This should then keep you comfortable until your baby is born, and then you can have the rest of it completed.

Oh, and it is safe to have LA during pg, just make sure your dentist knows that you are so they use the right one.

snap janie!!! get the RCT!! it will cost you more to have a replacment done if you have a n extraction than a RCT and later a crown!!

Definitely do something about it. Dental abscesses like all other infections can lead to blood poisoning and serious consequences. The risk of treatment to your bub is very low to nothing if they know you are pregnant and can take precautions.
Good luck!

Hi,

I had a tooth die on me when i was pregnant with my second child. I was in really terrible pain for a few days den suddenly the pain stopped. I went to see the dentist and realised that the tooth had died.

As i was pregnant, they cldnt do very much.. i didnt have any x rays done. What they did was to remove the decayed parts, cleaned it out and den put in temporray filling. the first filling broke into pieces a while later so i went to get a stronger filling and it lasted me way after i gave birth.

After i gave birth, i went back to the dentist to do the proper root canal and aso has a crown put over the tooth to keep it stable.

hope this info helps.

Wow - thanks heaps everyone for your help & advice.

marshymallow - sounds exactly like what has happened to me so I think I will go the same way you did.

I feel less stressed about things now. Thanks everyone.

AJC, I had a tooth give me grief when I was PG. I actually broke a filling and went to get it fixed and they discovered another rtooth needed root canal - two days later I had a pretty bad abcess on the gum near that tooth. I have a fear of the dentist so decided I would get the tooth out instead of repaired as it wasn't one too easily seen (at the back). I was about 26 weeks at the time. I went on a few courses of AB's and had the tooth out when I was in the early 30's weeks. I had a local anesthetic for the extraction (and lots of it because the guy who did it knows me and my fear - they normally have to sedate me which wasn't possible due to being PG).

Anyway, whichever way you decide to go, it is safe to get it done during pregnancy and I (like the others) suggest you have it treated now instead of waiting for later.

MG

Mothergoose - thanks so much for the advice. I've had extractions before too and I handled that ok - I think I am just so uptight this time because I'm worried about doing the best thing for the baby so thanks for helping to put my mind at ease. I felt so scared earlier this afternoon but now I feel better. Thanks again.

I couldn't get into my usual dentist last week but I finally got to see her this morn. Nothing was a drama, she didn't even want to do x-rays knowing I am pg anyway which made me happy. The lump actually went a bit pus filled which was gross. I bathed it in salt water & listerine all weekend and it's heaps better now. She drilled into the tooth and drained any excess gunk and also put a local antibiotic in the tooth only, she didn't want to give me full on antibiotics as much as I wouldn't want to take them. She put in a temporary temporary filling and if all is well in 4 weeks she'll re-do it with a temporary filling and we'll treat it properly after bub is born.

Thanks for your responses last week - made me realise I HAD to do something about it NOW, I probably would have tried to adopt the 'ignore it and it will hopefully go away' approach (which I know would have failed).

Thanks again :hug:

glad you got it sorted out!!

Perfect treatment, that's great!

Just for the record, it is is safe to have some ABs during pg ;)

Hi There!

I'm glad everything is okay for you!

I found out today I have an abscess and tomorrow I'm going into the dentist to get the tooth drilled and antibiotic put into it to stop the infection.

Dentist assures me all will be safe for myself and baby. But I was freaked a bit naturally.

This is my first little bubby.

ange its safe, he wont do xrays just make sure you complete the treatment after bubs is born!

Hi AJP!

Thanks so much for that!

Dentist told me though I'm not going to have oral antibiotics. Instead he is putting antibiotic into the tooth during tomorrow's procedure.

And I'm told it's perfectly safe.

I was really just concerned about the infection, but I only discovered it today and I'm booked in for 12.30 tomorrow for the procedure. The dentist wasn't worried and said both baby and I will be fine.

I guess it's just scary for me because this is my very first pregnancy, and my fiance is overseas until next month...so yeah!!!

Cheers,
Ange :)

you'll be fine, ive had root canel before!

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you'll be fine, ive had root canel before!

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Hi AJP!

Thanks so much! I feel lots better now!

Did you have the root canal during your pregnancy or did you go through what I'm going to go through, i.e. having the first stage of it, then completing it after baby's birth?

I've had a FABULOUS pregnancy and am loving every second of it. This is just a little stressful I guess, but I'm feeling so much calmer now!

Cheers,
Ange :)

no a few years back. but have delt with people who have whilst pregnant!

ange1979 - I had the antibiotic put into my tooth when I was around 16 weeks, I have a female dentist too & she's had 2 kids of her own so I felt like she knew how I felt & wouldn't do anything she shouldn't. It's been fine since and I will have the root canal after bub is born. Good luck!

Ange, you'll be fine :D I used to work for an endodontist (root canal specialist) and what your dentist is doing for you today is totally safe for you and your bubba. In fact, it would be worse to leave things go. So you're doing the right thing!

As AJP said, just do make sure that you go back to have it completed once bubs is here. It's so easy with a little baby to put your own needs on the backburner, but it's a sure bet that if you don't get the RCT completed (soonish) then it will get infected, and you will have to start the process over again. I don't mean you have to go when your baby is a week old LOL, but maybe after a few months, when things have settled a little bit.

Good luck today, hope it all goes well :D

Hi AJC and Janie!

Thank you SO much for your really great encouragement, reassurance and support!

Dental emergencies can be a bit scary during pregnancy, but these guys know what they're doing! :)

Got my appointment in 90 minutes time. Am I scared? Nah!!! Not at all, because dentists don't scare me one bit! :)

I don't go for the needles or any of that. I can literally sit there and feel nothing at all!

Here's hoping some of that high pain threshold stuff rubs off on me when it comes time for delivering our little girl!

Hi Everybody!

All done at the dentist - that was about two and a half hours ago and my mouth is still numb, numb, numb!!!

LOL!!!

I wonder how much pain I can expect to experience once the needle numbness wears off?

Also!! I'm not having a root canal, because the tooth with the abscess is a baby tooth - and they don't do root canals on baby teeth generally, because they don't work. So once baby is born, both of my upper baby eye teeth will be removed - along with the adult eye teeth that are in the gums (they never erupted). I'm then getting dental implants for both of those upper eye teeth.

So yeah!!! Lots happening!

Thanks again girls for your support and reassurance. Really means a lot and helped me big time!

probably did a pulpotomy them!! its a baby root canel!!!

glad all went well, will be good to have the implants!

Hi AJP!

That sounds about right!

Anyhow, the dentist tended to two other pregnant women last week with the same thing! It must be fairly common then.

And yes, definitely looking forward to getting dental implants. These baby teeth drive me bananas!!! :lol:

Oh yeah, totally different kettle of fish if they're baby teeth! You'll love the implants, they're a great solution. It sounds as though you're baby teeth are just going to continue to cause you problems. Glad you're on the way to getting it sorted!

Hope the anaesthesia has worn off now ;)

the nerve in baby teeth is closer to the surface of the tooth, so doesnt take as much to upset the nerve

Hi Girls,

After my treatment, the abscess looks a bit bigger on the gum. Is that because the infection is leaving due to the antibiotic?

Does it get a little bigger before it goes?

Dentist said give it about a week to clear.

I had a temp filling put in last monday for a VERY painful tooth, and will get the tooth fixed when my baby is born after Feb. It seems to be a common occurance having to have dental work done while pg.

I'm not looking forward to a possible root canal though :(

This thread was very helpful to me :)

Cheers,

Beck

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I had a temp filling put in last monday for a VERY painful tooth, and will get the tooth fixed when my baby is born after Feb. It seems to be a common occurance having to have dental work done while pg.

I'm not looking forward to a possible root canal though :(

This thread was very helpful to me :)

Cheers,

Beck

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Hi Beck!

Aw! You poor thing! I didn't have any pain thankfully, but it sounds like you're due close to the time I am!

Hope everything is going beautifully with your pregnancy! It's a downer having to have the dental emergencies flare up, but at least we expectant mammas and our bubs are doing just fine!

Hope you feel much better soon!

Cheers,
Ange :)