Gross, pathetic or scary?!

kfo22

I am dreading today! I haven't been to the dentist in over 10 years. My parents just never took me after my braces, I guess. Today.. I get to talk to the dentist about everything that's been screwed up since then, and then have my mouth torn apart and cleaned by the hygenist. And apparently your gums are more sensitive and bleed more easily during pregnancy?

Any STMs had dental work done while pregnant?

Alid86

I had a tooth that chipped off during the first trimester and they had to fix it. Not the best way to spend an afternoon but it's definitely tolerable and it will all be over before you know it!

skschumacher

I haven't been to a dentist in about 4 years, but I just made an appointment this morning! I'm nervous! Also wondering about dental x-rays. Are those a no-no during pregnancy?

kfo22

skschumacher said:

I haven't been to a dentist in about 4 years, but I just made an appointment this morning! I'm nervous! Also wondering about dental x-rays. Are those a no-no during pregnancy?

The older kind are.. the ones where you put your chin on the perch and the machine circles you? They took x rays for me last time because they are "digital," so there's less radiation than would affect you while standing next to a microwave (so they said). I wore a lead apron anyway.

jess123456

I procrastinated the dentist for so long because I'm a chicken but started going again last year. I am so glad I went. Turns out I have lots of cavities most of which I was able to get filled before pregnancy. I had another appointment in May and they wouldn't do any further X-rays or dental work (other than a cleaning) on me until after November. It's really not as bad as I remember. Yes they say your gums are more sensitive pregnant too. Good luck to you!

kfo22

jess123456 said:

I procrastinated the dentist for so long because I'm a chicken but started going again last year. I am so glad I went. Turns out I have lots of cavities most of which I was able to get filled before pregnancy. I had another appointment in May and they wouldn't do any further X-rays or dental work (other than a cleaning) on me until after November. It's really not as bad as I remember. Yes they say your gums are more sensitive pregnant too. Good luck to you!

So far, I know I have 5 cavities. They haven't gone over my x-rays with me yet, so... hopefully I won't need anything more than fillings. Although I've heard of people getting root canals done during pregnancy!

Hope I can put that off...

kfo22

excitedpreggo12 said:

I'm procrastinating unfortunately. My teeth are getting really bad and I know they'll need to do some serious work. After having a vitamin D deficiency, braces, root canals, cavities, gum problems... I'm just tired of my teeth. I want to pull them all out and just wear implants. $10,000 dental work later and here I still am. No matter what I eat and how much I brush.

And then there are the people who hardly brush once a day, and maybe get a cavity every 10 years... Unfair. Hopefully your baby gets some of those genes :P

moroccojade

I have been to the dentist twice since pregnant this time.... One appt for a cleaning, another to fix a chip.  Both appointments were great. 

Last pregnancy I had regular cleanings (I go every six months religiously.)   And, I also had a wisdom tooth pulled.  That wasn't much fun, but I was so glad to get the damn thing out.  It was causing me trouble. 

Hopefully they have a tv for you to watch...  if not, bring some music or an audiobook to distract you. 

acholb

I just went yesterday for a cleaning after a year. They used their super tool and I bled a lot. But I felt better afterwards. They told me no x rays since I was pregnant.

kfo22

Well, now I'm worried about being x-rayed at 14 weeks..

Deardra77

My dentists office doesn't do xrays on pregnant women (I'm sure if there was some very urgent region there would be an exception). I go every 6 months so not a big deal to simply wait until the next time.

I love going to the dentist, my Mum was a dental hygienist way back & when we were kids always made a big point of not having us frightened of going to the dentist & talking us down from those irrational fears. So as a result as adults it doesn't bother my siblings or me in the slightest. I had a root canal & almost feel asleep during it I was so relaxed.

Oral bacteria has been linked to heart issues (you can google and read up on it) so it's a very good idea to have frequent cleanings. It should be pretty standard under most insurance plans to have it covered twice a year /every 6 months. Even if it is out of pocket the cost is minimal (about $100 I think, less than $200 for sure)

Stephaniegiboney

I went last week and they said no x-rays for me either. I did bleed a little more during the cleaning but it wasn't more painful or anything!

jessa1228

Deardra77 said:

I love going to the dentist, my Mum was a dental hygienist way back & when we were kids always made a big point of not having us frightened of going to the dentist & talking us down from those irrational fears. So as a result as adults it doesn't bother my siblings or me in the slightest. I had a root canal & almost feel asleep during it I was so relaxed.

My dad was a dentist for almost 30 years, so no fears here either :-)

OP, how did your appointment go? I had my routine checkup when I was 11 weeks pregnant and they skipped the x-rays. The cleaning itself was fine, I may have bled a little bit more than normal but it felt the same pain-wise as it always does.

kfo22

@jessa1228

I have a bunch of cavities to fix, but no root canals needed! Yay! I did bleed during the whole cleaning, but it wasn't too painful. Now I'll have to do two more appointments for the fillings, and an extra cleaning in 3 months. Oh I also bled brushing my teeth just now. Hm.

Edit: Forgot to mention you