When you're pregnant, obviously, you're not just looking out for Number One anymore. Or, even if you are, you're looking out for her harder than you ever have before. After all, if you're not happy, it's likely that your baby isn't either-and so you take extra precautions with nearly everything you do, whether it be walking, eating, exercising, whatever. If you smoke, you cut back or quit, or you should. Suddenly, the things you put into your body become very, very important. Caffeine, sugar, fat, how much fat, what kind, etc. etc. etc.-all of it gets looked at more closely than ever before.
    And the same kind of caution is applied to things a little less ordinary, but ordinary all the same. Doctor's and dentist's visits, for example. Now, your doctor is one thing, your dentist another. Your doctor is most likely the person you go to see when dealing with the pregnancy directly or indirectly. Your doctor is going to know all the latest details about your condition. Your dentist, on the other hand, is more of a specialist in that he deals with only one part of you-your mouth. But your dentist may take a few extra precautious when dealing with the pregnant you as well.
    The details of those precautions, of course, will be worked out between you and your dentist. He may confer with your doctor before seeing you, he may want to look a little more closely at your medical history than he would otherwise. But you shouldn't be too concerned. Visiting the dentist while pregnant isn't all that different from what you're used to.
    In the first stages of pregnancy, that tender time, you'll want to avoid most really rigorous things, of course, whether it be exercise or dentistry or whatever. Again, you'll want to confer with your doctor and your dentist about how soon you can have, say, a cavity filled once you're pregnant. It may be that your doctor or dentist will have you take certain antibiotics to protect and your child against possible infections. X-rays and such will be handled differently. But these differences aren't going to be of the upsetting or intrusive sort.
    The key thing to remember when considering pregnancy and dental work is simply that you're caring for two people now. Therefore, when you prepare for the dental work, have it done, and go home to heal afterwards, you should make every possible attempt to ease your own discomfort and suffering and thus that of the person inside you. So, confer with your dentist closely about the details of recovery, even when recovering from something as simple as a single, shallow filling. Keep in mind that apparently simple things take on a more serious tone when pregnancy comes into the equation. Keep in mind, furthermore, that if you can feel pain, discomfort, etc., it's likely that your baby can as well. Therefore, the more time you take to heal after having a cavity filled, the better off the both of you will be.
    These simple tips will be expanded upon by your dentist and doctor. But you should do research on your own, as well. The Internet is teeming with information about pregnancy, its special requirements and so on. There are now single stop websites where you can type something like "dentist, pregnancy" and see instantly an entire host of articles spring up for your enlightenment. There are also lots of books out there that deal intimately and complexly with these intimate and complex issues.
    You should rest easy about pregnancy and dental issues. Dentistry has come a long way since the days of whiskey and pliers, and every question you have has been asked and answered by responsible dentists and doctors a hundred, a thousand times over. Combine the fruits of their research with a little research of your own, and you should know all that you need to know and more about having dental work done while pregnant.