Fluoride varnish when pregnant

[lulu0807]

Going in for my routine cleaning and wondering about getting the fluoride treatment. I can feel a few roots exposed and would normally go ahead with the fluoride... but I'm 16 weeks pregnant. My sister is a dental hygienist and told me that fluoride varnish is fine when pregnant. Just wanted to see if anyone else had or is planning on getting this treatment. Not too much on the web about it during pregnancy.

[artekah]

I don't know but I'm wondering the same thing myself. I have a dental cleaning in a couple months and fluoride makes me uneasy even when I'm not pregnant, but it seems hard to find objective research about it! I might just skip it to err on the side of caution. Hope someone who knows a lot about fluoride chimes in here!

[ursusarctos]

I'd like to know too. I am 17 weeks and here they recommend you go to the dentist in pregnancy. My gut says no, so I'm planning on just waiting until after the pregnancy. I figure I can wait a few more months. I can't find any reliable explanations either though - it all seems to be either scaremongering about conventional dentistry or patronizing articles with no actual info in them saying that it's perfectly safe.

[SGVaughn]

I'm 24 weeks and just had a cleaning and fillings (with more fillings to come before I'm done)

interestingly enough the practice I go to did not want to do fluoride at this cleaning and they don't use an epi mix in the novacaine to control bleeding while pregnant, and of course didn't do xrays..they used a fiber-optic camera and just got a lot more observant with the exam.

it was explained to me by the hygienist that research is too conflicted (mainly having to do with staining) for them to risk the fluoride and I guess no epi is standard even though the dose is really microscopic...the bleeding after the fillings was phenomenal honestly but my gums felt fine after

they also know I have well water that has no fluoride

when my youngest (who is four) went for a checkup and cleaning they asked if I wanted her teeth "painted" with fluoride...my older two i was never asked so I don't know if research is leaning the other way or if this practice is just particularly cautious

[lulu0807]

from what I've read the varnish (which is painted on) is much safer than the gel. either way, I'll probably err on the side of caution. but now I'm curious... when you google search "fluoride varnish pregnancy" a whole bunch of studies come up, but no real answer. I know that DH's mom actually took a fluoride supplement when she was pregnant with him and he's fine. haha