[name_m]Hi[/name_m], everyone. I just wanted to get your thoughts on this… A few days ago, I started having awful tooth/jaw pain. I have a rotten wisdom tooth that needs to come out, but no dentist will touch it until [name_m]Colin[/name_m] is born. I wanted as little medical interference as possible, but induction is looking more and more like a good option so I can get this tooth out faster. That is, if I don’t go into labor before I’m 39 weeks on the 5th. I’m torn because this constant pain is so bad that I can’t even sleep. What are your opinions? Should I go ahead and ask my OB if he’ll schedule me to be induced?
Ow, that sounds really bad! You poor thing. Can you take pain meds (paracetamol, ibuprophen) or do they not even touch the pain? What about clove oil? Although that is possibly not ok in pregnancy. Cold pack on your jaw?
I guess you have to weigh up the pros and cons. Getting that tooth out sounds pretty ideal but I would be wary of induction myself. I have known too many people to go along and get inductions because they are ‘over it’ and then go on to have emergency procedures with some pretty scary outcomes. Of course this is all anecdotal but I do think intervention can be a bit of a chain reaction. On the other hand, I have had insane tooth pain before (prior to kids thankfully), and I wasn’t going to wait to get a root canal the next day, I went straight to the emergency dentist and had it extracted that night. It was effing awful.
I’m sorry that’s not more helpful! Hoping labor comes soon and the baby and tooth can both come out! Good luck
Is this your first baby?
If this is the first time you have given birth, I would err on the side of waiting it out because induction births are significantly more painful. They are also more restrictive, assuming you need the Pitocin/Syntocin drip, which in turn makes you less able to be active, and an active labour is your best friend. Also because generally your first labour is longer, you don’t know how you personally roll with birth and because of that chain of intervention thing mentioned above.
If however you have given birth before, you know what the pain is like, what your limits are like and you are at lower risk of complication (first births are always considered a little more risky than subsequent births), then induction might be the way to go.
Personally I’m a fan of letting the baby gestate at least until the due date rolls around, but you can only take so much too. [name_f]Do[/name_f] what you have to do.
I’m also reasonably sure you’re not supposed to have ibuprofen (I think it thins your blood) in pregnancy, but I’m not a doctor so I’m potentially very wrong.
Good luck, either way!
@lulabelle I’ve tried Tylenol and Orajel, but neither seemed to work. I can still feel the throbbing. I actually looked in my mouth and the area isn’t red, so I’m assuming it’s an exposed nerve where the enamel has broken off. That’s the main reason I don’t want to be induced. Too many risks, it seems.
@mirimouse Yes, he’s my first. I just may have to wait it out, then! I haven’t called my doctor on this yet because his first question at our second meeting about two weeks ago was “when would you like to have him?” He even had his little book out to schedule me! Obviously, that made me feel like he was inconvenienced by natural birth… Knowing what I’ve researched about being induced and what I’ve heard from you ladies, there was no way I was going to do it if I didn’t have to.
Yes ibuprofen is a no-no in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester because it can cause premature closure of the PDA (which should not close until baby is born and breathing on his own).
Can you find a dentist who will do the extraction with just a local and nitrous? I’m not 100% positive but as far as I know, those should both be safe options (I’ve had wisdom teeth removed with just those two and it wasn’t too bad).
Wow, your doctor seems eager Oiseau. That is weird! I am a total fan of letting that baby come when it is ready, and have had good results doing that I guess. Your body will be so much more capable than if you push it when you and baby are not ready.
I too had my tooth out with just a local. It was ok, not too painful just very rough. If the drugs are ok then it’s an ok way to go. My four wisdom teeth were out with some sort of amazing intravenous drug that was like being very, very high. That was a lot more fun but I guess you also have to consider breastfeeding and drugs if you wait til after.
The only way I’d personally want to be or consider induction in this case was if the tooth was infected and causing issues that might be dangerous for me or the baby. Granted, I think I’m some cases sleep deprivation CAN be dangerous for your health, depending on how severe. I’d try my hardest to wait til 40 weeks, but I think if the best thing for the baby is to come out because of the tooth situation, you’d likely go into labor on your own, early (that’s not always the case but often).
My doctor did ok ibuprofen for inflammation taken in low amounts (no more than 1x dose a day, extra strength but no extra pills). So maybe if you ask your doctor they’ll tell you the same? They might also recommend a specific dentist that deals with these kind of cases and may do the dental work prepartum.
You poor thing! When I was pregnant I had a bad toothache and called around to some dentists, this was near the end, and they said they would just need a note from my doctor saying it was okay. Maybe if you bring a note they’d be more inclined to help? I am sorry, I know how badly that can hurt! I don’t know what to say about the induction, I have heard the pain is worse, but just go with your gut. <3
Thank you, ladies! I have an OB appointment coming up this week and I think I can bear the pain until I talk to him face to face. The extra strength Tylenol is working better than the regular that I was taking, but I’m always afraid of overdoing it so I’ve just been taking one a day. Maybe I can get something done about this soon. 38 weeks tomorrow, so if nothing else, I’ll only have to wait another 2 weeks at least!