Is It Safe to Do Dental Procedures During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding?

Is it okay for mummies to get a dental filling?

As a general rule of thumb during pregnancy, if the patient has a healthy pregnancy and without any complications, then dental treatments such as fillings and cleanings can be safely performed in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Otherwise if the patient is having a difficult pregnancy or if the OB-GYN doesn’t clear it, then it is best to wait until after delivery.

Shorter appointments are preferred to prevent discomfort and pressure on the lower back while lying in the dental chair. If there is any dental pain, emergency dental treatments can be done at any stage of the pregnancy to help the patient. It is strongly advised to seek dental treatment and have all teeth checked and treated prior to pregnancy to avoid any pain while pregnant.

During breastfeeding, it is safe to have any dental treatment done except for teeth whitening. There is local anaesthetic available that is safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding women and does not impact the breast milk. Regular dental appointments and cleaning every 6 months are still important to maintain while pregnant and breastfeeding to ensure optimal oral health.

Is it okay to do veneers or crowns while pregnant or breastfeeding?

While pregnant, it is recommended to keep dental appointments short to prevent any discomfort to the patient while lying back in the dental chair. Veneer and crown treatments can sometimes require long appointments and multiple appointments for measurements and fittings of these dental restorations. Therefore, it is recommended to do veneers and crowns post pregnancy.

During breastfeeding, it is safe to do veneer and crown treatments, as long as the patient informs the dentist they are breastfeeding for safe local anaesthetic to be administered.

Is it safe to do implants or extractions while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Teeth that have decayed and cannot be restored should be removed prior to pregnancy to prevent unwanted bacteria to flow through the bloodstream of the mother and baby. While pregnant, only painful emergency teeth extractions can be done using local anaesthetic safe for pregnancy. If there is no teeth pain, then any elective extraction is recommended to be carried out post pregnancy. Dental implants are recommended to be done after pregnancy as well to avoid any complications.

While breastfeeding, it is safe to extract teeth and have dental implants placed as long as the dentist is informed for the proper application of local anaesthetic safe for breast milk. Regular dental checkups and professional scaling and polishing of teeth is important to do every 6 months and prior to pregnancy to prevent disease in the body.