Breastfeeding After Dental Procedures

With a newborn at home, the last thing you have time to think about is the health of your teeth.

However, if you do not take the necessary care of their well-being, this can have long-term consequences for you and your child.

Many mothers are worried if they have dental problems (caries, root canals, etc.), as it is often said that they must temporarily stop breastfeeding to take painkillers or antibiotics, or have to wait until the anesthesia is over. However, this is not always necessary; in fact, almost never if you are breastfeeding a healthy baby. An individual approach is needed for children with health problems.

Most medicines used in dentistry are safe to breastfeed!

However, before taking any medication, always consult your doctor and dentist first.

Safe antibiotics during breastfeeding

A broad-spectrum antibiotic that belongs to the penicillin group. It is prescribed after various dental procedures to prevent infections. It is safe to take while breast-feeding and is not expected to cause side effects in infants.

This antibiotic belongs to the group of macrolides and is usually prescribed in case of allergy to penicillin or amoxicillin. Its use is also unlikely to cause side effects due to its low levels in breast milk. However, it is important to monitor your child for any of these (such as diarrhea and diaper rash).

Azithromycin can also be used during breast-feeding as a safe alternative for penicillin allergy.

Breastfeeding after anesthesia

If the mother is sedated (anesthetized) with valium, she can safely resume breastfeeding as soon as the sedation is over. It is not necessary to express and dispose of breast milk. According to Dr. Hale, the amount of anesthetic in breast milk after a single dose is minimized. Most drugs used for oral and intravenous sedation are considered safe during breastfeeding.

Nitric oxide anesthesia is also considered compatible with breastfeeding. Because heavenly gas is metabolized through the lungs, its effect passes as soon as it stops breathing. According to Dr. Hale, this is because the drug is eliminated from the body within minutes (3-5 minutes).

Lidocaine itself does not have any reactions in infants. However, if taken with other anesthetics or analgesics, it may interfere with breastfeeding. Therefore, it is necessary to consult your dentist if you need to use lidocaine.

Its action is longer than that of carbocaine or lidocaine, but it is also not found in breast milk, according to Dr. Thomas Hale. All products used during dental procedures are safe during interventions and after treatment. They will not affect breast milk. Some dentists use different types of anesthesia during pregnancy and lactation.

If you are about to have a tooth extracted, you do not have to stop breastfeeding (except during surgery, of course). To minimize the baby's exposure (and increase the mother's comfort), it is best to breastfeed before the mother intervenes for the particular intervention. You don't have to wait a certain amount of time or express breast milk to throw away - you can breastfeed as soon as you feel well enough.

Based on the short half-life of the drug, it is unlikely to cause adverse effects in infants.

Anesthetic drugs are administered for a short period and almost always less than two hours, and analgesic drugs to relieve pain are administered in just a few days. The total doses of these drugs ingested by the newborn and the intestinal absorption by the infant are negligible, so the advice of all experts is simply to continue.

If a woman thinks she is able to breastfeed her baby after her intervention, she can do so, knowing that all the narcotics and analgesics in her blood will not affect the baby.

More on the topic in: "Medicines during breastfeeding".

Breastfeeding after diagnostic tests

Radiography, ultrasound, mammography and fine-needle aspiration biopsy have no effect on breast milk. They can be performed without worrying that they will affect the baby.

Myths about the health of the mother's teeth

There are some misconceptions about pregnancy, breastfeeding and oral care. One is that it is not safe to visit a dentist due to X-rays and other procedures that can be harmful to the baby. This is absolutely wrong. In fact, the US National Institutes of Health has conducted research that suggests the exact opposite.

You need to continue with routine visits to the dentist while you are pregnant. It is also a good idea to visit your dentist if you are planning to become pregnant or soon after becoming pregnant. This visit can help you make sure your teeth and gums are healthy during pregnancy.

Another myth is that teeth lose huge amounts of calcium during pregnancy and breastfeeding because it moves elsewhere in the body to support and nourish a growing baby. Wrong again! Rather, most dental changes that occur during pregnancy and lactation are caused by hormonal changes in the body.

This means that it is important to increase your calcium intake during these periods to make sure your body has enough of the mineral to support the baby's development. Prenatal and breastfeeding vitamins usually contain calcium and other important nutrients such as vitamin D.

How to take care of your teeth while breastfeeding?

The best way to prevent dental problems is to stick to daily dental care (brushing twice a day and flossing once a day). Use mouthwash, after washing or between meals, if you can not wash with a brush and paste. The use of antiseptic oral solutions is not a problem for the infant, as their absorption is virtually zero.

Make sure you drink plenty of water to fight dry mouth (another cause of dental problems) and stick to a diet low in sugar and starch. If you have a strong desire to eat confectionery or carbohydrates, try to brush your teeth as soon as possible after consuming these foods.

Routine dental procedures such as tartar removal and caries treatment are safe during pregnancy and lactation.

In teeth whitening, the substance used is a peroxide compound that is absorbed into the tissues but then quickly eliminated so that it is not found in breast milk.

Breastfeeding women also need extra calories. Each of them would like to consume foods that are rich in nutrients and are not harmful to teeth. Here is a short list of such foods:

• lean meat;
• eggs;
• beans;
• lentils;
• almonds;
• spinach;
• yoghurt.

On the other hand, avoid caffeine, chocolate, citrus fruits, wheat and carbonated beverages. And as always, practice good dental hygiene.

How to take care of your baby's teeth while breastfeeding?

It is extremely important to maintain good hygiene in the baby's mouth during breastfeeding. Build his habits as early as possible, because once the first tooth comes out, the chances of caries start to rise.

One of the first steps in preventing caries is to carefully clean your gums and / or teeth at least once a day.

Limit the amount of sugar your child consumes during growth. This includes eating candy, cookies, chips, juice and many other products.

You should keep in mind that all dental procedures and treatments can be refused if you do not feel comfortable or want to postpone them to prepare enough milk in advance. No matter how many commitments you have, don't forget to take time for yourself and your health. Just remember that sometimes waiting for treatment can risk your health. This applies not only to oral health, but also to your overall well-being.