Unfortunately, going to the dentist has received a bad rap from many. With so many specialized tools, going to see your dentist can bring stress and anxiety. Dental sedation can be a great tool to help relieve that stress and anxiety. Your dentist can use it during certain dental procedures to make the process easier.
What is Dental Sedation?
Dental sedation is often referred to as conscious sedation or twilight sleep. It gives your body a strong sedative to relax your muscles and create short-term amnesia. With this, you experience an insensitivity to pain. Sedation dentistry relaxes your body and mind while you undergo a dental procedure.
There are different types of dental sedatives that your dentist may use. The specific type they choose is going to depend on a few things. These can include the length of your procedure, your level of anxiety, and your health history. It can even depend on your personal preferences. There are three common forms of dental sedation. These are nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, and intravenous sedation.
Nitrous Oxide
You may hear nitrous oxide, referred to as laughing gas. Your dentist administers this through a mask or nosepiece. As you inhale the gas, it will start to calm your body in as little as three minutes. After the conclusion of your treatment, your dentist will give your body pure oxygen. This will flush out the nitrous oxide and allow you to come back to feeling normal.
Oral Conscious
With oral sedation, your dentist will give you a pill about one hour before your procedure starts. This pill will make you groggy. You may even fall into a light sleep during the procedure.
Intravenous
Intravenous or IV sedation is a deep form of sedative. It enters your bloodstream via medication in an IV line. People who undergo this form of sedation will have little to no memory of the procedure.
How Can This Treatment Be Beneficial?
The biggest benefit of sedation dentistry is that it can help patients to ease their anxiety. When the patient is more relaxed, the dentist is able to work faster. This creates the perfect environment for patients to get the dental care they need. They won’t have to deal with the anxiety that comes along with it.
How to Discuss This Treatment Tool With Your Dentist?
Has going to the dentist always plagued you with anxiety? Have you even found yourself skipping appointments because of that uneasiness? It’s time to talk with your dentist about sedation. Dental sedation is becoming a more popular option than ever before. Let your dentist know about your dental anxiety before your appointment. They can suggest the best sedation method to help ease your anxiety and enhance your oral health.
Call Us Today
If you’re interested in going to a dentist who uses sedation, then it’s time to give us a call. Let our helpful dentistry team help you get the oral health treatments that you need with ease.