I’ve been told that dental sedation is great for people with a fear of the dentist. I haven’t been to the dentist in about eleven years. I’d like to try this to see if it will be any better and I can take care of my teeth. When I looked it up, though, there seem to be different kinds. I don’t know what the difference is and which one is right for me. Can you help?
Amy
Dear Amy,
It’s fantastic that you’re working toward getting your oral health back on track. When you have dental anxiety, that’s a very brave thing to do. You’re not alone with your dental fears. Many patients feel exactly the way you do.
Dental sedation has been a great solution for many patients in your position. It has two significant benefits:
- You will be completely relaxed giving you an anxiety-free appointment. In fact, most patients are so relaxed they fall asleep.
- You can get more accomplished in each sitting. While you’re napping your dentist can get a lot more done. This allows you to catch up with your dental work with fewer appointments.
Types of Dental Sedation
Most dentists have two levels of dental sedation. Which you choose will depend on your level of anxiety.
Level One: Nitrous Oxide
This used to be dubbed “laughing gas”. You may have seen the episode on “Call the Midwife” when the United Kingdom first introduced it for use with women in labor.
It will give you a floaty feeling and relax you while your work is done. It’s most beneficial for patients with mild anxiety and for pediatric patients who need a shot. It helps them feel calm.
However, if you have a more severe form of anxiety, then you need the next level.
Level Two: Oral Conscious Sedation
For those with deeper anxiety, I usually recommend oral conscious sedation. With this, you’ll take a simple pill before your appointment. However, this pill is STRONG. It will make you loopy. As a result, you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
It’s also important there is someone to stay with you at your home until you’re lucid again.
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you!
This blog is brought to you by La Jolla Dentist Dr. Stephen Doan.