A pregnant woman who has a tooth ache might hesitate before seeing a dentist, wondering how safe treatments might be for her future baby. If you are pregnant, the thought of taking dental x-rays might scare you off from visiting your dentist, because you are not sure how the radiation would affect your baby. Some future mothers would even hesitate to go for a regular dental check-up, not knowing if routine x-rays can harm the baby. These worries are normal for a pregnant woman to have, especially if it’s her first baby and she wants to take every precaution not to harm him. If you are suffering from a toothache or if you have a dental emergency, you would think that your dentist ideally needs a proper x-ray to detect what the problem is.

Dentists and doctors generally do not recommend that a pregnant woman takes x-rays during the first trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, routine X-rays, which are usually taken during a dental check-up, should be postponed until after childbirth.

Emergency X-rays can be safe, if not carried out during the first three months of pregnancy. Your dentist uses a lead blanket to cover your body and protect your uterus from any radiation. That way your baby is almost totally protected.

Some dentists would also do treatments needing multiple x-rays, such as root canal therapy, but that remains controversial. If you are not sure whether you should start a major dental treatment when you are pregnant, you can discuss it with your dentist. There’s a possibility of starting a major treatment by removing tooth decay or any infection on your tooth or on your gums. Full treatment can be finished after you have given birth. Therefore if you are suffering from dental pain, do not ignore it and call your dentist!