Pregnancy is a beautiful phase with its fair share of thrills and uncertainties. It’s that time in a woman’s life that the bundle of joy to come influences every decision they make. Everyday decisions such as the food they eat, their clothes, and how they sleep are made with the little one in mind.

These little guys cause major shockwaves in a woman’s body during pregnancy. One of the aspects of a woman’s life that can take a back seat during pregnancy is their oral health, which can happen for various reasons.

For instance, pregnant women suffer from hormonal changes that may result in sensitive and easily inflamed gums, making it challenging even to undergo routine dental cleaning sessions. Apart from this, the backaches and nausea make a visit to our dentist in North Brunswick a definite no or maybe.

Despite these challenges, you should not skip out on your regular dental checkups with our dentist in South Brunswick or your routine dental cleanings at our dental clinic in Brunswick. Doing so could leave you vulnerable to dental issues such as gum disease and infections that could affect your overall health and that of your developing baby.

Undergoing regular dental procedures such as dental cleaning are safe during pregnancy. However, most women are rightfully concerned about the safety of undergoing oral surgery in New Brunswick, NJ, while pregnant.

So is it safe to undergo oral surgery procedures such as wisdom tooth removal during pregnancy? And are these procedures safe for the developing baby? Let’s take a look.

Is Undergoing Wisdom Teeth Removal Safe During Pregnancy?

In a nutshell, the answer is yes. However, there are a few concerns we will address to help put your mind at ease regarding this issue.

The initial thing to note is that you have to opt to undergo any oral surgery or elective dental procedure only if it is undeniably necessary. Otherwise, if the procedure can wait, you should put it off till after the baby has come.

If a wisdom tooth extraction can wait, it can be put off till after the baby is born. However, if it cannot, then have no fear; you can still undergo the dental extraction.

At What Trimester Can You Undergo Oral Surgery?

Undergoing a wisdom tooth extraction during the first trimester is considered risky because your unborn baby is going through some serious growth and development, and undergoing any oral surgery could hamper the baby’s development.

When pregnant, the ideal time to undergo oral surgery in New Brunswick would be during the second trimester. This is because even during the third trimester, with the advancement of the pregnancy, it may be difficult to sit comfortably in a dentist’s chair for a surgical procedure.

However, if you have a high-risk pregnancy, your wisdom teeth removal procedure will have to wait until your bundle of joy gets here.

Is It Safe to Get X-rays That Are a Fundamental Part of Oral Surgery Procedures?

One thing that makes pregnant women queasy about undergoing oral surgery during pregnancy is that the first step of these procedures will require you to get X-rays.

X-rays are fundamental for the proper diagnosis of dental issues; they are a necessity during oral surgery procedures. The excellent news is that you can still get them taken during pregnancy because the radiation emitted from dental X-rays is minimal and will not cause any negative effects on the baby.

In addition to this, you will be draped in leaded aprons and collars to ensure that you and your unborn baby are protected from the radiation. You should not worry about the X-rays because they are not aimed at your abdominal area, minimizing the risk of exposing your baby to the radiation.

Also, to put your mind at ease, our dentist in South Brunswick strives to take the least amount of x-rays possible to minimize your exposure time.

What About Oral Surgery Anesthesia? Is It Safe to Get It During Pregnancy?

Like most oral surgery procedures, wisdom tooth extraction is performed under some form of anesthesia. This is because dentists want to ensure that your procedure will be as pain-free and comfortable as possible.

However, you will be restricted to using milder forms of anesthesia when you are pregnant because strong forms of anesthesia are known to increase the risks of miscarriages.

Our dentist will probably use low doses of local anesthesia to ensure you are comfortable enough during the procedure without putting your unborn baby at risk.

If you have to undergo wisdom tooth extraction during pregnancy and have any questions and concerns, contact us at Brunswick Smiles.

We will put both your needs and your unborn baby’s needs first.

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