Saturday, October 17, 2009

Dental Dilemmas

Yesterday was our annual dental check-up. As part of the procedure, I got a full oral x-ray which led to Dr. Sadri noting that I needed some dental work. Hardly surprising in my case since every time I go in for my annual check-up, there is always something that needs to be done! Is it just me or is this true for everyone else out there???

Anyway, in my case, there are several issues that need to be addressed. I have two small cavities that need filling, a crown that needs to be replaced and a wisdom tooth that needs extracting. None of them are urgent (and by that I mean, none of them are giving me any discomfort or pain). But Dr. Sadri advises that if I am planning to get pregnant soon then I need to get these treatments done before then. Partly because when I become pregnant, most of my body's calcium will go to the baby. That plus hormonal changes can lead to more dental problems. Not only that, there are several procedures that they do not suggest doing while a patient is pregnant since the anesthesia and the trauma are not advisable for a mom-to-be and for the baby too.

So, after thinking about it and discussing it with my sister-in-law (who is also a dentist), I have opted to go in for a series of treatments to get all these taken care of. This means several dental visits - lots of time on the dentist chair, hours of discomfort (hopefully not too much pain!) and more bills to pay (yes, the costs are pretty high up there even with dental insurance!). Whew! I'm not even a mother yet and I am already making such huge sacrifices for my child! Our "future" baby better appreciate this! =)

5 comments:

Jin said...

My situation is exactly same as you.:)It will be good for your health not only because of preparation for baby.

Auntie Lillian said...

I think that is a wise decision, Joanne. It might not be bothering you now but it might cause more problems and bigger dental expenses later on. And your "future" baby will thank you for it.

mom said...

You can choose to wait a little and have treatment done here when you come home. It might not cost as much. I am making dental appointments for Jenny and Mark. Shall I do the same for you.

Junarakasa said...

Mom, I actually told the dentist that I was going home to Manila and could get some of the treatment done back home. He was totally against it. According to him he has had problems when patients go to other countries to get dental work which cause problems later on. He said he has had to fix a lot of these which wastes a lot of time and money. I was a bit torn about this but am getting a second opinion too.

joyeee said...

how cute dets.... !!! im sure the baby would appreciate it:) haha