More on Pregnant With A Toothache

I started writing about being pregnant with a toothache a couple of days ago.

So I finally went to the dentist the other day. She remembered me from the last time I was there-- over a year ago when DS was only about 4 months old and demanded to nurse while I was in the dentist chair (DH was late in meeting me and taking over with him.) So I nursed in the chair while they checked me (we're all ladies here). When it was time to do a filling, they called in a young hygenist to watch him-- said she needed the practice.

Anyway, the same dentist took a look in my mouth and said it didn't look too bad. This was only partially reassuring considering the enormous pain I've been having in my jaw. I was sure I'd be needing a root canal, but she said it was just a simple cavity. She couldn't understand why the pain was so bad until.... she did an x-ray (I got my two lead aprons without even asking for it). So yes, I had my teeth x-rayed while pregnant, but it was with the reassurances of a lot of different professionals and I did it with a steady heart (I can't find the right expression to say that I wasn't worried-- is that one good?)

Anyway, the dentist looked at the x-ray and asked if I'd had a cold lately, to which I answered in the affirmative. The pain in my jaw, she said, was not from my tooth but from the sinus just above it which was all clogged up. There is a nerve runnign through that area which can make the pain feel like it's coming from the jaw or the ear or the tooth.

What a relief! But not a physical one. That evening I was having a really terrible time with the pain. I finally took acetaminophen, which I am loathe to do in the best of times and especially in pregnancy (even though there's nothing actually wrong with it at either of those times so long as you take it as prescribed.) DH looked up the sinus issue in my pregnancy book and there it was the whole time-- I never knew it. Pregnant women are more inclined towards sinus infections. Something to do with the increase in mucous production during pregnancy. In my case, it's a no brainer since I'm always prone to sinus infections. Usually, however, they're not this bad, and they feel different. Usually I get them in the upper sinuses-- where you'd call it a headache and not a cheek-ache, and the pain happens when I move my head.

Knowing where the pain is coming from did give me the advantage of knowing how to deal with it. Instead of hurting when I move, this starts to hurt when I've been sitting with my face in one position for too long. Like if I'm reading or something So all I have to do if it starts to hurt is change position. The pain goes away within minutes after that but then I have to make sure to keep switching position if I'm doing something that doesn't involve a lot of motion.

Today it feels better. Hopefully the infection has gone down and I won't have to see a doctor or get antibiotics.