I’m expecting my first child. We’ve been trying for several years so I’ve had loads of time to get things in order and do tons of reading. I’ve already met with my OB and went in for a dental checkup yesterday. I was fairly confident my dentist would understand the need for precautions during pregnancy but now am a little concerned.
He wanted to do x-rays and then told me I have decay under an amalgam filling and wants to replace it. He didn’t seem to consider radiation or mercury exposure to my child. Would I be better off switching to a holistic dentist?
Sarah
Dear Sarah,
First things first. Congratulations on your baby. They are such a blessing. It’s also great that you’re doing your due diligence to keep your baby safe and healthy.
There are a few considerations here. First, your dentist should always check with your OB to make sure you are not in a high-risk category and get the okay for any procedures.
Regarding x-rays, as long as he is doing digital x-rays, that has been okay’d during normal pregnancies. There is not much radiation at all and you will be wearing a protective vest for both you and baby. If he’s using the older non-digital x-rays you’ll need to stay away from those.
As far as your amalgam filling and the decay beneath it. That needs some additional consideration. First, if there’s decay underneath the filling, that means you are harboring bacteria.
This could lead to a bacterial infection and gum disease, both of which will impact your baby and has been linked to low birth weight. You’ll want to get rid of the decay under the filling.
Safely Removing Amalgam Fillings
There is a way to remove defective amalgam fillings safely without you inhaling or swallowing any of the mercury or its vapors. It’s called a sanitary amalgam removal and requires special equipment.
In this case, you’d be better off with a holistic dentist. They are used to taking special care with the health of their patient’s bodies as well as their teeth. They’re also very practiced in this procedure.
It’s up to you whether you’d just want to switch to this dentist or just go to them for this filling replacement. One additional benefit is you won’t have to worry about them replacing your filling with another amalgam one. They will only use mercury-free composite (white) fillings.
Take a deep breath and enjoy these months of anticipation.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Holistic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.