Report Concludes That Anesthetic Use Is Safe for Pregnant Patients

Pregnant women may have been advised against the use of local anesthesia at the dentist’s office, but now they can take advantage of it with confidence. A new study, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, could find no evidence that anesthetics used for dental treatment are harm ful during pregnancy. “We aimed to determine if there was a significant risk associated with dental treatment with anesthesia and pregnancy outcomes. We did not find any such risk,” notes study author Aharon Hagai, DMD.

The findings are important in light of the fact that many pregnant women forgo trips to the dentist for fear of adverse effects. Yet, maintenance of oral health during pregnancy is critical due to elevated risk of caries stemming from difficulties brushing teeth because of morning sickness, gag reflex and a higher pro pensity for gingival bleeding. Hagai appeals to clinicians to encourage their pregnant patients to continue receiving routine dental care.