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Local anaesthesia & pregnancy
Last week I had my tooth prepared for a crown. This involved having quite a bit of anaesthetic on the gum surrounding my tooth. This morning I discovered I am about five weeks pregnant. Is it possible that the anaesthetic at this early stage will harm my baby?
The local anaesthetic should not worry you. In fact, only a very low percentage of the obstetricians surveyed wished to be consulted prior to the administration of a local anaesthetic. The main concerns are X-rays and certain types of medication that might be prescribed during the course of dental treatment. X-rays or radiographs during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, should be kept to an absolute minimum. The antibiotics we generally use in dentistry — penicillin and derivatives thereof — are usually fine for the developing foetus. Special attention should be taken if analgesics are prescribed, however.
While receiving dental care during pregnancy usually isn’t a problem for the developing foetus, elective dentistry should be postponed until after the baby is born. The exception to this might be to have a clean and check-up during the second trimester. This will help the expectant mother and dentist to be aware of any problems that may need immediate treatment. Any infections should definitely be treated, as a dental infection can have a systemic effect, which, in turn, might affect the foetus.
I hope your pregnancy goes well. Take good care of those teeth and gums during your pregnancy.
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