Dental disaster - so frustrated - kinda gross

efortune

I woke up on Sunday with a throbbing tooth that was draining pus out of my gum. Ya, nasty. But good that its draining.

Today was the earliest my dentist could see me. My midwife wouldnt give me a note permitting me to have work done, because i hadnt had my bloodwork done yet and they dont do it till 12 weeks. I went to the appointment anyway, and they gave me a cleaning, but the dentist wouldnt even look at the tooth, because im pregnant. He also said he refuses to write scripts for pregnant patients, and i have to get it from my ob.

So I call my midwife, and she reiterates that they wont approve dental work until 12 weeks. AND she cant give me a script, because they can only write scripts that are related to the pregnancy. And apparently an infection in my mouth that can cause a miscarriage isn't related to the pregnancy....

She gave me a number of a family doctor to call that they work with and who would help me. I call, and she is out of town for a week and no other doctors are in her practice.

So I called my old OB that delivered my last 2 kids and who I saw as recently as 3 months ago (!!) and she won't give me antibiotics, because I haven't seen her for THIS pregnancy so its a family practice issue. And she has no opens for a new OB appt for 2 weeks.

I call my existing family doctor and she can't see pregnant patients.

I have no idea what to do. I cant stop crying,. My mouth is throbbing. AND NO ONE CARES.

I'm terrified of a miscarriage if this infection gets in my blood stream, not to mention all the other health concerns.

I've never felt so helpless.

Ive tried to not cry in front of the kids, but I lost that battle. My 2 year old wiped my tear and said clear as day, "Mommy, whats wrong?" which of course made me lose it even more.

efortune

The plan is to go to the walk in and not tell them im pregnant. Not ideal, but I need antibiotics and no one will help me.

learningfromlife

cruelsound:

I would think that not treating an infection would be worse than any possible problems antibiotics may cause. Hell, I was on antibiotics the entire time during my last pregnancy.

Eff that noise, I'd be calling dentists until my ears fell off.

This is exactly what I was thinking. You are oozing out of your mouth. I can see them not touching my cavity that doesn't even bother me until after the baby comes, but you need antibiotics like yesterday. 

Before going to the walk in place and forgetting to mention being pregnant, are there any other dentists in the area that will see and treat a pregnant patient? Don't even give your name if you don't want to, just call, explain what's going on and ask if they would see someone in your situation.

mrsverkaik83

I don't understand why they can't give you an antibiotic. They could have easily given you like penicillin, amoxicillin, and clindamycin. Those are both category b and don't effect the baby. I'd go to a new dentist ASAP. I would think the infection could hurt the baby and in the long run hurt you too. But definately go to a new dentist ASAP. also maybe take tylenol for now for the pain, I know it doesn't help much but at least it's something. Good luck, I will be praying for you.

tropicalmommy

I would go to a different dentist and say nothing about being pregnant, then when you get your script ask the pharmacy if pregnant women can take this medicine.

Most antibiotics are totally safe to take! Like WTF? You have a PUS-LEAKING tooth in your gum...you can't just leave it, the infection could spread down to the bone and then what?! I would be worried too, but you CAN do something about it. Please do go to another dentist and just don't mention that you are pregnant...or if they try to do a radical procedure, say you just found out the day before that you are pregnant and ask them to please give you antibiotics until you see your OB.

I have gone to my pharmacist and asked questions instead of asking my OB, because sometimes I feel like they are just over the top and have odd reasons as to why you can/cannot take certain things. My pharmacist pulls out his giant medicine book every time I go in there, and shows me the page and it has a definition for expecting mothers under each medication, and it tells you right there what is okay/not okay to take.

102503Natalie

That's just ridiculous!  I've already been on a round of antibiotics for a UTI.  I can't even begin to imagine them turning you down when you have an oozing pus pocket in your mouth!  WTF?

 I'd find a new OB and dentist STAT because this is just horrible.

efortune

Hey. I ended up going to a walk in clinic and getting antibiotics in less than 30 minutes. I didn't tell them I was pregnant, but they prescribed amoxicillin, which I took with my other pregnancies for other reasons. They actually didn't even ask, actually. I feel a little bad "omitting" that information, but I would have totally lost it if yet another doctor took the hands off approach.

 I "kind of" understand why my midwife couldn't help me, because she said legally they can't write scripts that aren't pregnancy related.  She was even the one that told me to go to a doctor to get antibiotics and not tell them I was PG.  But my dentist? Unforgivable! Although, he also told me he didn't think tylenol, zoloft, or zofran were safe were pregnancy and advised I tell my OB. Thanks, genius, they were prescribed by my OB during pregnancy (well, not the Tylenol). He gave me this long lecture about how I had to put my baby's health over my "discomfort." I just...wanted...to...punch....him.... It had VERY LITTLE to do with discomfort. My tooth is oozing pus. THAT is life threatening to the baby...and me.

Arrrgghhh.... but thank you ladies for being outraged with me. I will be finding a new dentist! Preferably one that has had a pregnant wife before and has some kind of idea about pregnant women, rather than just saying "I cannot touch your mouth or write any drugs, ever." 

efortune

Oh -- the swelling, fever, and pain is already down. My MW still doesnt want me to get the root canal/extraction until 12 weeks unless the antibiotics dont work and it gets worse... which I have to do my 10 days of antibiotics first anyway. She also told me to go to a dentist and not tell them I was PG to get the process done "faster" but Im not sure Id have a good answer for when they wanted to do xrays.

katiestrange

I'm so glad you were finally able to get the antibiotics. I have worked at a dental office for several years. Infections are certainly not something to ignore, especially during pregnancy. I agree that you need to find a different dentist, but please don't omit the fact that you are pregnant. It's not fair to the dentist. You may have to do a little more searching to find someone who is more knowledgeable regarding medications and procedures that are safe during pregnancy. Good luck!

hillbillysunshine

Leah&Jack:

Holy crap that's ridiculous. Antibiotics are perfectly SAFE during the first trimester, and in your case absolutely NECESSARY.

I'd get a new midwife or a new dentist. I can't see why he wouldn't write a script for fricken antibiotics. 

This.

tropicalmommy

So glad everything worked out for you! Your previous dentist sounds like an idiot, and who is he to know what is and isn't safe for pregnant women? HE LOOKS AT TEETH ALL DAY. What a loser!

hass2001

Find a dentist that will give you a script!! I took amoxicillin at 8 weeks pregnant and the script was from my dentist (I also have an infection in my gums) and I emailed my doctor to ask if it was alright and she said it is perfectly fine. I even told my dentist when he was writing the script that I was pregnant and he said it was safe.

I am so sorry you are going through this!  Hope you can get this taken care of soon.