Dental Care and Pregnancy

If you are an expectant mother, congratulations! We at Fairwood Dental Center understand how exciting and busy this moment is for you. In fact, you have so much to think about during pregnancy that it may be easy to overlook your oral hygiene. Pregnancy can actually make dental problems worse, which is why it’s important to continue your dental visits during pregnancy for checkups and cleanings, along with brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between your teeth once a day.

As a precautionary measure, dental treatments during the first trimester and second half of the third trimester should be avoided as much as possible, except in the case of emergency. These are critical times in the baby’s growth and development and it’s simply wise to avoid exposing the mother to procedures that could harm that in any way. However, routine dental care can be received during the second trimester. Don’t skip your dental checkup appointment simply because you are pregnant. Now more than ever, regular periodontal exams are very important, because pregnancy causes hormonal changes that put you at increased risk for periodontal disease and a condition called pregnancy gingivitis.

Pay attention to any changes in your gums during pregnancy. If you notice any changes, give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

When a Root Canal Fails

A root canal can help relieve you from pain and more importantly can prevent the need for a tooth extraction. For the most part, root canals are successful – and your dental treatment may last a lifetime. However, when root canals don’t heal, endodontic retreatment is often necessary to save the tooth. If your tooth requires endodontic retreatment, our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center can help.

Endodontic therapy is a complicated procedure that uses files to extract infected pulp from the root. When the infection remains in the root’s canals, the tooth may not heal, causing it to become reinfected. There are several ways this can happen:

• Newly formed tooth decay can cause a leakage of bacteria into the root canal.


• The dental crown used to protect the tooth cracks, breaks or is placed too late, allowing new infection to enter the root.


• The roots weren’t cleaned thoroughly or were missed completely.


• The roots were incorrectly sealed or filled.


•  The tooth was contaminated by saliva during the procedure.

If you’ve experienced a root canal gone wrong, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.