Toothache — that phrase alone is enough to make many people shudder. Toothache really is one of the worst kinds of pain a person can feel, and when it happens during pregnancy? Extra care is always taken with pregnant women when it comes to medications during pregnancy, and this includes painkillers for tooth pain as well. Toothache in pregnancy can occur more frequently even in people with good oral health; the issue may arise due to the considerable hormonal increase during pregnancy. Hormones can make pregnant women more sensitive to pain, especially in delicate mucous membranes such as the gums and oral nerves.
Causes of Toothache During Pregnancy
Toothache also shows up in pregnancy due to cavities, inflammations, abscesses, or simply an increased sensitivity to hot or cold foods1. Ideally, you should always see a dental specialist to help during this stage, but some precautions can be taken even before toothache during pregnancy occurs to bother you.
The majority of toothaches that appear in pregnancy are caused by some inflammation. This is responsible for sensitivity to foods and can cause intense pain. Deep cavities can cause these pains, and a root canal may be necessary even during pregnancy — but what about anesthesia? We’ll discuss this later: after all, can pregnant women receive anesthesia for dental treatment or not? What to do about an inflamed tooth during pregnancy without harming the baby?
IMPORTANT: A great tip for naturally relieving toothache during pregnancy is rinsing with chamomile daisy tea (macela) and propolis. The tea has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, providing quick and immediate relief.
How to Prevent Toothache During Pregnancy?
The basics include proper brushing, daily use of dental floss, and using certain remedies for pain that might arise2. Another precaution is to try to notice if there’s something you’re eating that causes tooth pain. Some women become more sensitive to certain foods during pregnancy, and these pains can become more frequent. Dental visits should be regular, and it’s recommended that pregnant women go at least once a trimester if everything is fine. If there is any problem, the dentist will treat it to maintain oral health and prevent toothache during pregnancy.
How to Relieve Toothache
Applying cold compresses to the painful area is a good tip, and rinsing with hydrogen peroxide, oral antiseptic, or salt water also helps. These three are healing agents and can greatly help reduce abscesses and pain.
With the increased blood circulation during pregnancy come bleeding episodes as well — it is very common to hear pregnant women report bleeding gums, and usually the problem resolves itself once pregnancy is over. There’s nothing special that needs to be done except to take extra care with brushing and dental hygiene.
Can Pregnant Women Get Dental Anesthesia?
Dental treatment during pregnancy is allowed, but there are urgent cases that need to be treated to minimize tooth pain during pregnancy, and then the use of anesthetics is recommended, but only after a thorough assessment by both the dentist and the gynecologist. In fact, pregnant women can have an inflamed tooth extracted if there is no other option. But it needs to be done with appropriate care for pregnant women so as not to pose risks to the baby’s health.
Approved Medications
Along with anesthesia, there are medications that help reduce bleeding, and these may or may not be used together with anesthesia, depending on the obstetrician’s approval.
Pregnant women can only use certain appropriate medications3, such as paracetamol, for example. For some cases, it may not be very effective, so be sure to ask about this at your next appointment with your gynecologist and dentist: what medications you can take in case of toothache and during an emergency. Under no circumstances should pregnant women take anti-inflammatories or antibiotics without medical guidance — these drugs can be harmful to mom and especially to the baby.
Readers’ Questions
Could Toothache Be a Sign of Pregnancy?
Some women report feeling greater tooth sensitivity at the beginning of pregnancy, but it’s not considered a typical pregnancy symptom. The best thing to do is keep track of the common signs of pregnancy and, if in doubt, take a pregnancy test for confirmation.
See also: Anemia During Pregnancy – Things Every Pregnant Woman Should Know
