Introduction
Root canal treatment may also be necessary during pregnancy and often cannot be postponed until after delivery due to the severe pain caused by the inflammation of the tooth pulp and the nerve fibers located within it and the risks of not being treated. In order to reduce the probability of suffering from root inflammation during pregnancy, the condition of the teeth (tooth status) should always be checked every six months in advance if you wish to have children. Before the tooth hurts, it is often possible to see on control x-rays if the region around the pulp has become inflamed.
Root canal treatment during the lactation period
Root canal treatment during the breastfeeding period is not a problem. It is therefore possible to have it performed. In general, however, the dentist should be informed that you are breastfeeding.
The dentist will then administer other local anesthetics (= narcotics) and medication if necessary. If pain or swelling occurs after root canal treatment, paracetamol or ibuprofen are the remedies of choice to alleviate the symptoms, just as in pregnancy. A root canal treatment does not require a break from breastfeeding or the discarding of milk.
X-ray during pregnancy
If the root canal treatment is carried out correctly, x-rays (in this case dental films) are necessary before, during and after the treatment. These dental films are used to determine the exact length of the root in order to fill the tooth root directly to the tip (apex). If the filling is too short, an inflammation in the area of the root apex can occur even after the root canal treatment has been completed.
In the worst case, this can lead to a so-called apicoectomy or the loss of the tooth. An X-ray before and during a root canal treatment is essential for detecting and ensuring the success of the treatment. It is very important that the dentist and the practice team take all possible protective measures in the event of an X-ray to protect the mother and the unborn child.
The radiation intensity of an X-ray of a tooth is about 0.02 mSv (millisievert). As a rule, this has no negative consequences for the unborn child. A flight would expose mother and child to about 0.1 mSv five times more.
However, if you are planning to become pregnant, you should always check the health of your teeth with your dentist in advance to be able to carry out any necessary treatment before pregnancy. Of course, X-rays should be avoided during pregnancy and also in case of a necessary root canal treatment the dentist will refrain from making dental films. However, this means that a completed root canal treatment might not reach the tip of the root.
Nevertheless, in order to avoid the risk of an inflammatory process inside the tooth, only a root canal preparation is performed. This means that the treating dentist will “drill” the tooth and remove the inflamed pulp together with the nerve fibres inside. If the inflammation is very pronounced, an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory drug is injected into the root over several days.
When choosing this medication, pregnancy must be taken into account, so if possible, no “toxic” medication should be chosen. However, the root of the tooth is not then permanently filled, as would actually be the case with a root canal treatment. The root and the tooth are closed for a short time and only after the pregnancy the root canal treatment is completed.