Pregnant woman with gingivitis
This female patient is 28 years old and 28 weeks pregnant. The patient came to the clinic with a letter of medical clearance from her physician. The oral assessments showed red, bulbous, soft, shiny gingival tissue with moderate inflammation. Probing depths generalized were 4-5 mm with moderate to severe bleeding upon probing and heavy calculus deposits. Radiographs were deferred due to her pregnancy. The patient reported that she had not seen a dentist for many years and said that her gum bleeding became worse when she got pregnant.
The treatment plan included: Administering local anesthesia without epinephrine (per the medical clearance) and scaling 2 quadrants during the first visit, scaling 2 quadrants for the following visit, followed by polishing and fluoride treatment.
During treatment, the patient was frequently evaluated for her comfort while sitting on the dental chair. The patient’s back needed to be positioned higher than normal. There was moderate gum bleeding during scaling. Because of her pregnancy, local anesthesia with epinephrine was not utilized, therefore 3% Carbocaine was administered using one capsule during each treatment.
