Need to Get a Root Canal

Hi A.... Teeth are tricky... And, the pain they can cause for such small things is incredibly humbling... Just a few weeks ago I had an abcessed tooth... The dentist who diagnosed it told me one of his patients said she'd rather have triplets than an abcessed tooth (and she'd had triplets)... So, if you can decide what's best for you before it gets worse, I'd recommend that, but I couldn't begin to say what that'd be for you... When I was trying to decide what to do with mine, a friend lent me this book: Root Canal Cover-Up by George E. Meinig... It was really helpful, so if you can find a copy (there are some used on Amazon), I'd recommend it... Good luck! ...K.

I had a root canal in my first pregnancy at about 15 weeks (I think!). It was fine, I am very happy I had it then as the pain was awful from the tooth. The surgery went well, recovery a little harder due to not taking very strong pain killer, but it was short lived.

hope this help,

also i love my endodontist if you need someone. He is very quick!

rachel

I recently had a root canal and I could not believe the difference in how I felt. I did not have the "knock out" drugs, I just had Novocaine. That should be safe, right? It is a local anesthetic. Don't delay. When you are pregnant, tooth decay progresses more rapidly. good luck

My husband is a dentist and your dentist will know just what it safe or not. You can not wait with that pain and could develop an infection that causes major problems, and not just in your mouth.

Get the root canal. I needed a root canal with eacjh of my pregnancies due to hormonal swelling. The Drs all said that an infection can cause premature delivery. The root canal is less dangerous than waiting.

Hang in there and try to wait it out. See if there is anything you can take for the pain in the meantime.

Hi A., I have a great dentist Scott Kubota he is located in West LA. Give him a call ###-###-####, use my name E. Komarck. Good Luck.

Just wanted to say that I had a root canal when I was pregnant with my second daughter. I was in the 1st trimester and in pain! Talk it over with your dentist and your doctor. I'm sure it will be fine.

Hi.

I had two root canals while pregnant with my daughter. Now I must be honest with you and tell you that I demanded a smaller dose of the medication they used to numb me (I can't remember what it was). So that wore off half way during the process and it became painful but I endured. Also, I didnt take the Tylenol 3 I was prescribed. It was my first child though so I didnt have a 21 month old at home I had to deal with...I just slept for 2 days and was over it. But I am saying all this to say that dental work during pregnancy is totally safe! I have a high tolerance for pain so having this done with a very small amount of numbing med was ok for me but I would have been safe with the full recommended dosage (I am just a freak about any type of medication - pregnant or not). You will be fine!! Remember infections are more harmful to your baby than the meds the dentist will get you to remove the tooth to prevent infection!!

I am a mother of five and with my fourth prenancy I needed a root canal. I was terrified but all went well. I needed to see an endodontist and they did not schedule the next appointment to put on the crown until after the baby was born. And my little girl was born just fine. Also, sometimes the risk of not treating your tooth is greater than the risks of treating it. An infection in your head is very dangerous. Hope all goes well.

Always consult with your pediatrician, and the DDS, but an infection is not good for you or the baby. the medications used have been used for years and there are plenty of excellent DDS or specialist that will allay your fears. Please stay healthy and this is important because there are bacteria brewing in a tooth needing a root canal.

Get the root canal. As long as your OB and the dentist know you're pregnant and take appropriate precautions, you'll be fine. And, I agree, I'd rather give birth than have a bad toothache, it's just unbearable. My funny story: We were on vacation in England (fyi: healthcare is free). I had excruciating pain down the side of my face for unknown reasons. My hubby took me to a doctor and two hospitals (at no charge) before someone finally decided it must be a dental problem and sent me to an emergency dentist. They informed me that dental work would have to be paid for and that I had a filling that had fallen out and the nerve pain was traveling. I'd have paid thousands of dollars for relief at this point, but I too was nervous because I was pregnant, so I made sure they knew. And, they said no problem, and..... get this: dental work is free if you're pregnant! So, they fixed it, pain went away, and we finished our vacation. LOL ;)

I also need a root canal but opted to have a temporary filling put in place until I give birth next month. I was VERY nervous about getting X-rays done at my initial check up due to the radiation but the dentist covered me with 3 of the smocks just to make me feel better. I felt a little silly asking for so many (and they were kind of heavy) but my baby was/is my number one concern. Though I'm sure it's fine to go through with the root canal procedure, I just felt I was better safe than sorry. If you have the option of getting a temporary filling, maybe that's the route you should go.

I had to have a root canal when I was pregnant in 1983. The Dr. said he didn't want to do it at that time, that I should wait till after the baby was born, so he just drilled enough to take the pressure off and ease the pain, then put a temporary filling in. Unfortunately, while the temporary filling was in, I ate some really hot soup, and it cracked my tooth and it had to be pulled. Talk to your dentist about it, and if you do go ahead with a temporary filling like I did, be really careful, as the tooth will be reallllly weak. Good luck!
M.

I was 6 months pregnant when i had one, the dentist was really gentle with me, it all went fine, don't worry. I'm a big baby but it really was fine.