Time to visit the Dentist
You’re supposed to visit the dentist twice a year, which means that you’ll have at least one appointment during the course of your pregnancy. Is there anything special you need to know about dental work when you’re expecting? Is it safe?
In fact, visiting the dentist while you’re pregnant is not only totally doctor-approved – it’s recommended! Your changing hormone levels can make your gums swollen, sore and prone to infection, which means that you’ll need to be extra vigilant when it comes to keeping up with your oral hygiene.
If you need more extensive dental work, like a filling, don’t fret about anesthesia. The most common dental numbing agent, lidocaine, has not been proven to be harmful to a developing baby. Actually, the stress you’d feel if you were in extreme pain would likely do more damage to your unborn child than the drugs would.
When getting dental work done during pregnancy, try to schedule your appointments for the second trimester. Lying on your back will likely be uncomfortable by the time you reach the third trimester, and the nausea of early pregnancy may make a visit during your first trimester exceedingly unpleasant.