How to overcome dental anxiety with sedation dentistry?
Does the thought of dental work make your body tense with fear? You are not only one. A lot of people are anxious about going to the dentist. Many times they prefer not having any treatment.
If you are avoiding the dentists because of pain or fear, sedation dentistry will take away your anxiety. It is used for everything from invasive procedures to a simple tooth cleaning.
The medication is used in sedation dentistry that helps patients to relax during dental procedures. Patients are generally awake except those who are under general anaesthesia. The common types of sedation dentistry-
- Nitrous oxide
This is gas that relaxes the patients during the procedure. It is anaesthesia where a patient breathes through a mask, not like an oxygen mask. Within a few minutes, a patient will get calm during the treatment. Nitrous oxide leaves your body immediately and you are free to drive yourself to the home.
- Oral sedation
It is used for extremely anxious patients and benefits of oral sedatives are prescribed before your appointment. Oral sedation such as diazepam makes you relax and drowsy during the treatment. Many patients are hardly able to recall the procedure. You are awake but less anxious and might feel sleepy once it wears off. In this, you will not be able to drive back to your home after the dental treatment.
- Local anesthetic
This is the most common type of sedation dentistry and you all must be familiar with. In this, the dentist will rub a numbing gel onto your gums so that you don’t feel pain while getting an injection or the dental procedure.
Many patients consider general anaesthesia as the best solution. It comes with more potential side effects as compared to other types of sedation dentistry. Sedation is appropriate for people with fear or anxiety and prevents themselves from going to the dentist. It is also suitable who-
- Have a low pain threshold
- Can’t sit still in the dentist’s chair
- Have sensitive teeth
- Require a large amount of dental work
Many times, children are also given sedation if they are scared of getting dental procedures. Nitrous oxide is safe for the children and any dentist can give it. Generally, pediatric dentists are not trained in giving oral sedation to children. It is safe when given within the recommended dose based on the child’s age and weight.
Is sedation dentistry safe?
The risk is always there in getting anaesthesia. It is safe if given by experienced dentists. A person suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or obese must talk to the doctor before taking sedation. There might be chances of having complications later.
The dentist should be trained and qualified in administering the type of sedation. You also ensure the following things are done-
- Before the dental procedure, the dentist should go through your medical history. They should determine whether you are an appropriate candidate for sedation or not.
- Ask what dose of the sedative is appropriate considering your age and health. Also, check whether it is within the recommended dose.
- Find out how much trained the dentist is and how many procedures they have performed using sedation.
- Receive a form describing the details about the risk of the procedure. Go through it carefully with the dentist and if in doubt, consult the dentist.
- The dentist should possess oxygen, artificial ventilation and drugs if you need them to reverse the effects of sedation.
Before you decide on dental sedation, consider the procedure and your general response to dental care. If you are putting up dental work due to fear or pain, sedation dentistry is the best solution for you. When you avoid issues such as dental caries, loose or broken teeth and other dental problems, you are putting your oral health at risk. As time passes, such problems might become more complicated and may require extensive dental work in the future.
If you are anxious about the dental work, talk to the dentist about sedation dentistry. You will feel better and won’t have to worry about persistent dental issues that cause pain and other problems.