Dental treatment during breastfeeding and pregnancy

During breastfeeding, many women experience dental problems. Most often, caries, inflammation and bleeding of the gums, and mobility of dental elements are observed. The cause of the disease lies in calcium deficiency in the body and decreased immunity, which is often observed during pregnancy and lactation.

Is it possible to treat teeth while breastfeeding?

But often a nursing woman puts off a visit to the dentist, fearing that the treatment may harm the baby. In fact, a nursing mother should visit the dentist even more often than usual.

What are the dangers of dental problems for a nursing mother?

Caries and inflamed gums in the mother's mouth are a dangerous source of infection for the child. When you try your baby's food, kiss and hug him, bacteria enter the baby's mouth and can cause the development of stomatitis.

Stomatitis in a baby

A constantly aching tooth often becomes the cause of psycho-emotional stress and bad mood, as well as lack of sleep. The result of chronic toothache is likely to be a decrease in the amount of milk, up to complete disappearance.

Due to constant toothache, milk may disappear

First aid for toothache

Acute toothache should be relieved as soon as possible, without waiting for a visit to the dentist. You can take one of the drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen without harm to the baby. One of these medications should always be in your medicine cabinet.

Active substance	Name of medicine	Note
Paracetamol	“Panadol”, “Efferalgan” and others.	A small amount of paracetamol is observed in breast milk, with the maximum concentration observed after 15-60 minutes.
Ibuprofen	“Ibufen”, “Nurofen” and others.	The best option is to take Ibuprofen immediately after feeding. But this drug passes into breast milk in extremely small quantities.

The most effective option is ibuprofen and its derivatives. Compared to paracetamol, it relieves pain better.

Important! Do not take painkillers or antipyretics without reading the composition of the medication and the instructions for its use. The best option would be to consult a pediatrician.

Read the leaflet for the drug

Analgin and its derivatives should absolutely not be taken to relieve painful and uncomfortable sensations:

• "Analdim";
• "Tempalgin";
• "Sedalgin";
• "Pentalgin" etc.

If it is necessary to use the drug during lactation, you must stop breastfeeding

All of the above medications through milk have a negative effect on the internal organs and systems of the baby.

• Anesthesia in dentistry during breastfeeding

Preparation for surgical treatment

The procedure for tooth extraction in a nursing woman includes:

• taking anamnesis;
• determination of indications for surgery;
• preparing the patient;
• tooth extraction;
• postoperative period.

In 90% of cases, an X-ray examination is performed before surgery. The procedure is safe for nursing mothers, since the woman is wearing a lead apron through which radiation does not pass. But it is still advisable to express milk after the examination. Then you can feed the baby without fear.

Preparation consists of eliminating the fear of manipulation and the dentist; for this purpose it is not prohibited to use sedatives. After the operation, you cannot feed the child for 2 to 6 hours: this is the period required to remove the painkiller from the body. To provide the baby with nutrition during this time, it is worth expressing milk and feeding the baby more strongly before surgery.

Tooth extraction procedure for a nursing mother

Tooth extraction during lactation includes the following steps:

1. anesthesia;
2. periotomy (detachment of the ligament);
3. selection and application of forceps;
4. tooth extraction;
5. stop bleeding.

For pain relief, drugs are used that do not pass into breast milk or are excreted from it in the near future. Anesthesia is carried out using a carpule syringe and safe anesthetics.

Stopping bleeding from the hole is carried out by pressing with a cotton swab; usually within 5-10 minutes, thrombosis of the blood vessels occurs. In this case, a blood clot forms in the socket of the extracted tooth, from which the wound will heal.

Recommendations for a nursing mother after tooth extraction

After the tooth is removed, the doctor will tell you whether the baby can be breastfed. Depending on the properties of the anesthetic drug, lactation can be carried out immediately or after several hours (after the drug is removed). If feeding is possible after some time, then you need to express milk to stimulate further lactation.

In case of difficult removal, a purulent process, or to prevent complications, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics that do not pass into breast milk or are safe.

The following complications are possible after the intervention:

• alveolitis (inflammation of the tooth socket);
• bleeding; paresthesia (loss of sensation);
• damage to adjacent teeth or soft tissues.

After manipulation, pain always occurs due to the presence of a wound surface. Don’t be afraid of pain, you can take a safe painkiller:

• ibuprofen;
• paracetamol;
• ketoprofen;
• naproxen.

Also recommended:

• refrain from eating for 2 hours;
• Do not eat hot food for 1-2 days;
• chew food mainly on the side opposite to the socket of the extracted tooth;
• do not rinse your mouth (to prevent the clot from falling out);
• do not take a hot bath, cancel going to the sauna;
• do not lift heavy objects;
• do not heat the surgical area;
• do not touch the hole with any objects;
• brush your teeth carefully.

If you cope with emotional stress, follow safety measures and doctor’s recommendations, then the tooth extraction procedure can be performed on breastfeeding women. Using modern technologies and medications, removal will not harm the woman or baby.

Liana Mokhtari, dentist, especially for Mirmam.pro

Pain relief during treatment

At any age of the child, you can easily treat caries and gum disease. But you must tell the dentist at your first visit that you are feeding your baby. Then the doctor will select safe medications.

Don't forget to tell your dentist that you are breastfeeding your baby.

Most local anesthesia is short-acting. This means that it circulates in the blood for a short time.

During lactation, dentists recommend using:

• "Lidocaine";
• "Ultracaine".

"Lidocaine"

"Ultracain DS"

Important! Both drugs are eliminated from the body within three to six hours, depending on the dose. Therefore, it is recommended to feed your baby immediately before visiting the dentist and stock up on a portion of breast milk in advance for the next feeding. Once you return, you need to express and discard the milk. And the next milk will be completely safe for the baby.

You need to stock up on breast milk before visiting the dentist

Is it possible to use local anesthesia during dental treatment while breastfeeding?

In fact, it is not worth neglecting “dental” problems, leaving their solution until the end of lactation. Because even seemingly harmless symptoms may indicate an inflammatory process or caries, untimely treatment of which can lead to serious complications, including tooth extraction.

To prevent this, a woman should consult a dentist as soon as possible at the first discomfort in the oral cavity.

IMPORTANT. At the very beginning of the appointment, you should definitely warn the doctor that the woman is breastfeeding.

One of the biggest fears among breastfeeding mothers is the use of anesthesia during dental treatment. In fact, the need for its use is largely exaggerated and is subject to discussion with the doctor in each specific case. By examining the oral cavity, the dentist will identify problems and indicate the likelihood of solving them without anesthesia. Indeed, sometimes for successful tooth treatment it is enough to endure the painful sensations for only a few seconds.

However, some procedures require the use of local anesthesia:

• opening of canals;
• tooth extraction;
• cyst cleaning;
• installation of pins.

In this case, it is important to find out from the dentist how quickly treatment is needed, and whether it can be postponed until breastfeeding is completed. If the problem requires an immediate solution, and the doctor insists on using local anesthesia, you should not refuse.

Sometimes after treatment or removal, the dentist prescribes a course of antibiotics. In this case, it would be useful to remind the doctor once again that the woman is breastfeeding, so that the doctor can select a drug that is most compatible with lactation. If this is not possible, while taking antibiotics, the baby should be fed pre-expressed (frozen) milk, and the mother herself should continuously maintain its production through regular expression.

IMPORTANT. Delaying treatment only aggravates dental problems, and chronic toothaches can provoke psycho-emotional stress, which has a detrimental effect on the production of breast milk.

What to do if potent drugs are prescribed?

When taking strong medications that should not get into the child's hands, you can feed the baby one of the milk formulas according to age. And in order not to interrupt the production of your own milk, you need to express at least six times a day.

Expressing milk while taking potent medications will help maintain lactation

Do you absolutely not want to transfer your child to artificial feeding? Then ask your doctor to postpone treatment for a while. During this time, accumulate the required amount of your own frozen milk.

Frozen breast milk

Please note that in the arsenal of modern pharmacology there are antibiotics that are approved for feeding. But even an approved drug is best taken so that there is a maximum gap in feeding after taking it.

Antibiotic group	Note
Penicillins	Penicillins enter breast milk in low concentrations. But they can cause allergic reactions and loose stools. If allergic dermatitis is present, it is worth switching the child to formula.
Cephalosporins	Almost does not pass into breast milk and does not affect the health and development of the child.
Macrolides	They get into milk, but do not have a negative effect on the baby. Prescribed for allergies to penicillin and cephalosporin drugs.

Recommendations for a nursing mother after tooth extraction

• Complications after tooth extraction
• After the tooth is removed, the doctor will tell you whether the baby can be breastfed. Depending on the properties of the anesthetic drug, lactation can be carried out immediately or after several hours (after the drug is removed). If feeding is possible after some time, then you need to express milk to stimulate further lactation.
• In case of difficult removal, a purulent process, or to prevent complications, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics that do not pass into breast milk or are safe.
• The following complications are possible after the intervention:

1. alveolitis (inflammation of the tooth socket);
2. bleeding; paresthesia (loss of sensation);
3. damage to adjacent teeth or soft tissues.

After manipulation, pain always occurs due to the presence of a wound surface. Don’t be afraid of pain, you can take a safe painkiller:

1. ibuprofen;
2. paracetamol;
3. ketoprofen;
4. naproxen.

Also recommended:

1. refrain from eating for 2 hours;
2. Do not eat hot food for 1-2 days;
3. chew food mainly on the side opposite to the socket of the extracted tooth;
4. do not rinse your mouth (to prevent the clot from falling out);
5. do not take a hot bath, cancel going to the sauna;
6. do not lift heavy objects;
7. do not heat the surgical area;
8. do not touch the hole with any objects;
9. brush your teeth carefully.

If you cope with emotional stress, follow safety measures and doctor’s recommendations, then the tooth extraction procedure can be performed on breastfeeding women. Using modern technologies and medications, removal will not harm the woman or baby.

Category: Tooth extraction Published by Mister stomatolog

Dental procedures during lactation

X-ray

To develop a treatment plan, you may be prescribed an x-ray. This procedure is carried out using digital equipment with a minimal dose of radiation, and you will be wearing a protective apron while the device is operating. The photograph taken will allow you to assess the condition of the roots and canals, so do not refuse to undergo an x-ray.

X-ray

Instead of an x-ray, you can undergo a visiography procedure. In this procedure, radiation exposure falls only on the diseased tooth, and no dangerous radiation reaches the body. And the radiation dose is much lower than with digital x-rays.

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Visiography of teeth

Doctors recommend expressing after an x-ray and not using this milk. Sometimes women complain of a decrease in milk production after an x-ray, but after a short period everything is restored.

Video: X-ray and fluorography during breastfeeding

Removal of decayed teeth and roots

In some advanced cases, the destroyed element of the dental system cannot be saved and must be removed. Uncomplicated tooth extraction is performed under local anesthesia; these drugs quickly stop circulating in the bloodstream. It is necessary to follow the same rules as when treating teeth with local anesthetics.

Removing a tooth root using forceps

In advanced situations, gumboil may develop - purulent inflammation of the bone tissue near the diseased tooth.

Flux

Then, after tooth extraction, the doctor will definitely prescribe antibiotic therapy. If drugs that are compatible with lactation are chosen, you can continue to feed the baby. Otherwise, the child is temporarily transferred to formula and milk is expressed while taking antibiotics in order to maintain lactation.

Prosthetics on implants

Photo of fixed prosthetics on implants

Dental implantation cannot be performed during lactation. This applies to both one-stage and two-stage implantation methods. The fact is that after implantation, a number of medications are prescribed that are incompatible with breastfeeding. In addition, during lactation, artificial roots may take root poorly. Therefore, implantation should be postponed until the end of breastfeeding; if necessary, temporary crowns can be installed.

Temporary crowns

Installation of braces

Orthodontists do not recommend installing braces or correcting the bite until lactation is complete. This is due to the fact that during lactation it is impossible to put additional stress on the bone tissue of the jaw, which lacks calcium. It is recommended to carry out treatment with braces no earlier than 6 months after the end of breastfeeding.

Installation of braces

Teeth whitening

You will have to refrain from teeth whitening using professional equipment during breastfeeding. For these purposes, a nursing mother can only use pastes, gels or chewing gum.

Whitening toothpaste

The fact is that during teeth whitening using professional equipment, the dye is removed from the tooth enamel and after whitening, rehabilitation is necessary with the use of medications that promote the mineralization of tooth enamel. During breastfeeding, the rehabilitation period takes a longer time and may be accompanied by the development of caries due to a lack of calcium ions.

• Ascorutin during breastfeeding

Video: Teeth whitening while breastfeeding

Indications and contraindications for tooth extraction during lactation

The main indications for tooth extraction during breastfeeding:

• Abscess, cyst, phlegmon, periostitis, accompanied by the development of a purulent-inflammatory process in the root area of ​​the tooth.
• Periodontitis is in the acute stage, when the patient feels acute pain that cannot be relieved with painkillers. When the pathology has become chronic, surgical intervention is indispensable.
• Mobility of teeth 3-4 degrees. A severely loose tooth requires removal. This will prevent the development of various diseases and complications.
• Serious damage to the tooth, including fracture of the tooth root, which can also be caused by trauma.
• Caries or abnormal anatomical position of the wisdom tooth.

With these disorders, tooth extraction is indicated for any patient, not only nursing mothers.

Of course, there are a number of contraindications that prevent the procedure of tooth extraction. These include:

• Chronic liver and kidney diseases in the acute stage.
• Infectious diseases.
• Leukemia, arrhythmia, post-infarction condition, some heart diseases.
• Gingivitis.
• Angina.
• Stomatitis.

In other cases, the specialist will select an individual approach to a nursing woman and with the safest possible medication support.

Prevention of caries during lactation

Preventive measures will help you avoid dental problems during breastfeeding. After all, it is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it.

How to defeat tooth decay

Prevention of diseases of the dental system and mucous membranes includes a number of simple measures:

• brush your teeth immediately after each meal;
• use dental floss and mouthwash;
• use fluoridated pastes;
• take vitamin and mineral supplements for nursing mothers.

Choosing a toothbrush

Be sure to include curd products, cheese, sesame seeds and other foods high in calcium in your diet. And limit your consumption of desserts, sweet foods and excessively hot drinks, which can damage tooth enamel. Find out painkillers for toothache using the link.

Proper nutrition as protection against caries