15 weeks pregnant: Going to the dentist during second trimester

Since I’m in the second trimester and 15 weeks pregnant, I decided it would be a good time to plan a trip to the dentist. Well, actually, Tarzan made me schedule the appointment because I’m a big wimp and the dentist frightens me. It all started last week when the bottom gum on the right side of my mouth was swollen and started to bleed.

Next thing I know Tarzan was googling information on teeth, being pregnant, and when to go to the dentist. Sure enough he told me how important it is (which I knew), and told me that I needed to make an appointment.

I just got back not too long ago and it wasn’t too bad, but I did think about packing my bags and heading out of there at the beginning.  More on that in a minute.

Confession #1:  I haven’t been to the dentist in about 1.5 years.  That being said, don’t think my teeth are disgusting, because they aren’t.  I brush and floss daily and try my best to take care of them… all without having to see the all-important dentist.  

Confession #2:  I made an appointment with a brand new dentist so that my old dentist wouldn’t be upset that it had been 1.5 years since I’d last seen him.  I figured that I would just start fresh and keep up with appointments every 6 months, just like you are supposed to do.  

So all day today before my appointment, I was freaking out.  

I wanted to call and cancel.  I wanted to stand them up.  Basically I just didn’t want to go.  I hate the noise of the tools when they scrape your teeth.  Hate it.  Why someone hasn’t developed another tool to not make noise and be a bit more gentler, I don’t know.  Even the tv that was on in the room could not drown out the noise.  (This was about the time that I wanted to leave.)

Of course I didn’t leave; I put on my big girl panties and stayed.  

Oh and don’t even get me started on the x-rays.  Shoot, I gag just brushing my teeth and they want to stick a film in the back of my mouth that is bigger than the whole opening of my mouth?  Geez, talk about gag-central!

My ob had to send the dentist a pregnancy release form that had all the information on it of what could and couldn’t be done since I’m pregnant.  I’m not really sure what exactly was on the list because they seemed to do all the “normal” dentist stuff to me.  I had x-rays, the scraping tool, floss, and the actual cleaning.  Maybe the release for pregnant women is more for root canals and other serious things.

Everyone at the office was super nice and they were all excited that I was pregnant.  Honestly, it was nice.  You would have thought that I’d been going to this dentist for years the way that they were asking about my pregnancy.  But it was all that was talked about, which I guess is to be expected.  We were all strangers and had some common ground with being pregnant.  

The two dental hygienists that were taking care of me have kids.  They talked about everything from breast feeding to the baby crying to losing friends and so much more.  (I should have asked them about the cruise ship question.)  They were full of information about having babies and how to take care of them.  It was a little overwhelming, but overall good.

Making conversation helps the time go by and to take my mind off of the instruments making God-awful noises on my teeth, but it’s always so amazing to me the way that these people talk to you and ask you questions, all while their hands and instruments are in your mouth.  I mean, really, it’s not like you are capable of having a regular conversation at that point.  

I never know what to do – Do I try my best to answer them back and disregard the fact that my mouth is full of “stuff”, or do I just ignore them?  It’s a hard question to answer.

All in all, I think I stressed out a little too much for this appointment.  Even my blood pressure was normal at 107/70.  (Why they take your blood pressure, I’m not sure.)  Anyways, I will be better for myself and my baby and start going to the dentist regularly every 6 months.  It’s just healthy to do.

Oh and I’ll actually be going there next Tuesday…  Yes, it’s true.  I have 4 cavities.  :(  Can you believe that?  4 cavities diagnosed in one appointment.  I wanted to cry; I’ve never had that many and it’s depressing.  

I guess that’s just one more reason why going to the dentist is so important.

You might also want to read:

1. 8 weeks pregnant: First pregnancy appointment
2. 28 weeks pregnant: I made it! I’m in my 3rd trimester!
3. 30 weeks pregnant: OB pregnancy appointment
4. 39 weeks pregnant: Aerosmith concert vs. labor and delivery
5. 19 weeks pregnant: When will I feel the baby movement?

Tagged as: Dentist when pregnant, Pregnancy Week-By-Week, Second Trimester, week 15