The changes in the level of hormones which occur during pregnancy can not only trigger emotional and physical changes but also can affect your oral health.
Once the dental problems appear during pregnancy, most of the mothers prefer to postpone the treatment till delivery (if possible) concerning the health of the unborn child.
But what if a severe tooth ache disturbs you during your nursing period? What if the doctor prescribed a root canal treatment? You may have a lot of queries and doubt regarding undergoing dental treatment during the nursing period. Keep on reading and you may be able to clear all your doubts.
What Should I Do If Tooth Ache And Decay Worry Me During The Nursing Period?
Tooth ache and decay would obviously need treatment like a filling or a root canal. Never neglect a dental problem and consult a doctor and inform him that you are a nursing mom.
This will help him to recommend you an appropriate and safe treatment and medicines that will not affect the feeding procedures. Many doctors may use medicines that are specific for lactating mothers.
Is It Safe To Continue Breast Feeding While Undergoing A Dental Procedure?
Yes, it is safe to carry on breastfeeding while going through most of the dental treatments. In fact, oftentimes, it is not at all necessary to suspend breast feeding even for a short period when you are nursing a healthy full term baby.
But when you are nursing a premature baby or a baby with some health issues, special considerations are required. And should be mentioned to your doctor. He may ask you to stop the feeding for the time being or wait a till certain time before feeding the preterm baby or baby with some other health issues.
Could Local Anesthesia While Breast-feeding Be Harmful To The Child?
Local anesthetics work by numbing the sensation of the nerve endings of the tissues around the tooth. There is no evidence of anesthetic passing into breast milk and there is no reason to discontinue the breastfeeding.
Lidocaine, which is widely used to numb the tissues during the dental procedure and is considered safe drug for breastfeeding mothers. Other local anesthetics like novocaine and bupivacaine are also considered to be compatible with breast feeding.
Owing to the fact that only a tiny amount of local anesthetic is used, only an insignificant amount could get into your milk. It is also cleared so rapidly from your bloodstream and is unlikely to enter your milk in significant quantities.
Therefore, the local anesthesia while breast-feeding is extremely unlikely to cause any effects on your baby. Therefore, it is safe to breastfeed following a local anesthetic for dental work.
Is Nitrous Oxide Sedation Safe During Breast feeding?
Nitrous oxide is an effective and secured sedative agent. Nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen and breathed in through a small mask that placed over the nose. This sedative gas helps to relax the nerves during dental procedures.
Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is virtually insoluble in the blood stream. That means, this sedative gas used in dental works immediately moves out of the body after you stop breathing it in. Therefore inhaling nitrous oxide will not interfere with breast feeding.
Are Dental Diagnostic Tests Safe During Nursing Period?
The diagnostic tests to examine the level of the dental decay comprises of X-rays, fine-needle aspirations, etc. None of these tests are found to skeptically affect the quality and quantity of the breast milk. Hence, dental diagnostic tests are largely considered safe during the nursing period.
Are Dental Fillings Safe For My Breast Feeding Baby?
This question targets the amalgam filling. Amalgam is an alloy silver mixed with mercury with a variable amount of other metals. About half of the amalgam is liquid mercury. This is used to fill the cavities caused by tooth decay.
During the filling or replacing process for treating a tooth cavity, there are undeniable chances of the mercury getting vaporized and thus getting swallowed or inhaled. But, the amount of mercury passing into breast milk is insignificant and falls below the level usually considered to be unsafe by the health organizations.
Therefore, inserting and replacing the dental filling for a lactating mother is quite safe.
Can I Undergo Cosmetic Dental Treatments During Breast Feeding?
The chemical compounds used in the cosmetic treatment like tooth whitening (peroxide compound in the case of tooth whitening) do get absorbed by the tissues but are instantly destroyed and usually never reach the breast milk.
However, if you are a lactating mother, it is suggested to postpone the cosmetic treatment as it is not necessary and significant like the tooth decay treatment.
Are Antibiotics And Painkillers Safe During Breast Feeding?
There are several pain killers and antibiotics that used in treating the dental issues can harm the baby. So it is important to tell your doctor that you are a breast feeding mother during the visit. This will help him to prescribe alternate medicines which will not harm the child.
Now you know you there is no need to suffer the tooth ache in silence while breastfeeding. Go and look for quick alleviation from the dental uneasiness by booking a meeting with your dental specialist today!
