• Our Practice
  • Categories
    • Oral Health = Whole Body Health
    • Common Dental Issues & Procedures
    • Consumer Guides & Information
    • Cosmetic Dentistry & Teeth Whitening
    • Implant Dentistry
    • News/PR
    • Orthodontics, Braces, & Invisalign
    • Pediatric Dentistry & Children
    • Uncategorized
  • Book An Appointment
LOOKING FOR A GREAT DENTIST IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA? START HERE!
1st Family Dental Blog1st Family Dental Blog
  • Our Practice
  • Categories
    • Oral Health = Whole Body Health
    • Common Dental Issues & Procedures
    • Consumer Guides & Information
    • Cosmetic Dentistry & Teeth Whitening
    • Implant Dentistry
    • News/PR
    • Orthodontics, Braces, & Invisalign
    • Pediatric Dentistry & Children
    • Uncategorized
  • Book An Appointment

Are Dental X-Rays Safe During Pregnancy?

Home Common Dental Issues & ProceduresAre Dental X-Rays Safe During Pregnancy?
Are Dental Xrays Safe During Pregnancy

Are Dental X-Rays Safe During Pregnancy?

July 11, 2018 Common Dental Issues & Procedures, Consumer Guides & Information, Oral Health = Whole Body Health
FacebookTwitter

Pregnancy is an exciting time and, while your body is undergoing massive amounts of change, it does not mean that you should abandon your dental care routine. In fact, it is important that you take extra-great care of your teeth in order to avoid things like pregnancy gingivitis, and if you stick to your regular dental visit schedule during pregnancy, chances are you will need to have dental X-rays at some point. One question we often hear in the office is: are dental X-rays safe during pregnancy?

The short answer is…. Yes! Dental X-rays are safe to have during pregnancy, but there are some other factors you may want to consider as you are planning your dental care during this time.

Dental X-Rays and Pregnancy

Leaded Apron should be used for protection during dental xrays when pregnant

The amount of radiation used in a dental X-ray is very low and, according to both the American Dental Association and the American Pregnancy Association, is not enough to cause any harm to a pregnant woman or her baby.

Beyond that, there’s an extra layer of protection — literally — used to make the process even safer for everyone who needs to have a dental X-ray.

If you’ve had dental X-rays in the past, you probably remember the dentist or hygienist placing a heavy apron over you before turning on the X-ray machine. This is a leaded apron that is designed to minimize exposure to radiation during the X-ray process.

The apron is long enough to cover the abdomen, which means a baby is protected during the X-ray process. It might seem like a nuisance or more trouble than it’s worth to wear it for such a short amount of time, but this is definitely one of those situations where it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The apron will feel heavy when your dentist or hygienist puts it on, but it is safe to use at all stages of pregnancy. If all goes well, it will only be on you for a few minutes at most.

Making the Best Choices

Are Dental X-rays safe during pregnancy - 1st Family Dental Blog

Even though the dental X-ray process is safe to undertake throughout pregnancy, some women make proactive choices to limit their exposure to X-rays and other procedures during this time.

You should notify your dentist as soon as possible after you become pregnant. You can work with your dentist to develop a treatment plan that will work for you and your baby.

Some women choose to postpone X-rays until after the end of the first trimester because this is the time that is most crucial for the baby’s development. This is not medically necessary but may help provide peace of mind.

Routine dental X-rays can also be postponed until after the baby is born, but this is not something we recommend. X-rays are critical to detecting dental issues that could become serious if they are not detected and treated.

The last thing you want is to have a newborn baby and a dental emergency on your hands because of something that could have been addressed during pregnancy.

Speaking of emergencies, if you have a dental emergency while you are pregnant, you will need to have X-rays. This is not usually something that can be postponed until after birth.

Start the Conversation With Your Dentist

As we said, let your dentist know about your pregnancy as soon as you can. Our teams at 1st Family Dental throughout the city and suburbs of Chicago work with moms-to-be all the time in order to develop treatment plans that meet their dental health needs, while also looking out for the health of their baby.

Dental care should not stop just because you are pregnant and dental X-rays are no exception. If you have additional questions or would like to discuss your specific situation with one of our dentists, please don’t hesitate to contact us to make an appointment.

book appointment online - 1st Family Dental

Join Us In the Comments!

Have questions like Are Dental X-Rays Safe During Pregnancy? Join us in the comments below!

Leave a comment
Share

You also might be interested in

1st Family Dental Does The Harlem Shake!

Feb 27, 2013

FacebookTwitter Who says going to the dentist can’t be fun?[...]

Patient Undergoing a Procedure

Highlights from our Free Dental Care Days in the Suburbs

Mar 11, 2013

FacebookTwitter 1st Family Dental gave patients an extra reason to[...]

Free Dental Care Day at 1st Family Dental of Logan Square

Mar 14, 2013

FacebookTwitter On Wednesday, March 13, 1st Family Dental hosted its[...]

Leave a Reply

Comment
Cancel Reply

blog.1stamilydental

1st Family Dental offers a full range of general, specialty dental and orthodontic services for the whole family. With online appointment booking and several convenient locations in and around Chicago IL, taking care of your dental health needs for you and your family couldn’t be easier.

OUR CHICAGO DENTAL CLINICS

Albany Park
Andersonville
Little Village
Logan Square
Old Town
Pulaski Ave.

OUR SUBURBAN DENTAL CLINICS

View our locations in the Chicago, IL Suburbs here

For Press Inquiries

Please contact:
Vicky Khawaja
vicky@1fd.org
(773) 294-0378

All logos, text, and images subject to terms of use and privacy policy. Click Here to download our logo.

1st Family Dental © 2023 · Privacy Policy · Internet Marketing Services by Conversion Strategies, Inc.

Prev Next