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Many people experience symptoms of anxiety and fear when it’s time to visit the dentist. However, skipping your dental appointment isn’t the right choice because it’s one of the best ways to maintain good oral health. For this reason, sedation dentistry has become an important part of most dental practices today. How can sedation dentistry help?
Dental sedation eases your anxiety in the dental chair, and helps provide a better experience overall in getting proper dental care. Talk with your dentist about sedation dentistry if any of the following applies to you:
- You have fear about seeing the dentist.
- The equipment and noises at the dentist office bother you.
- You gag easily or find it hard to keep your jaw open.
- It’s difficult for your mouth to become numb with traditional anesthetics.
- You would like to have multiple or difficult procedures done in one visit.
- Your goal is complete relaxation in the dental chair.
There are several forms of dental sedation that most dentists can provide. One is laughing gas, commonly called “laughing gas,” which creates feelings of euphoria and relaxation when inhaled. You just wear a small mask over your nose, breathe normally, and soon your anxieties will disappear. After your procedures are finished, breathing pure oxygen flushes the laughing gas from your system and you return to normal. You can usually drive yourself home after this type of sedation.
Another option is oral conscious sedation, which involves swallowing a small pill to relax you. After taking the pill, you will feel sleepy and content. You may even feel as though you slept through the procedure, even if you weren’t really asleep. You will need someone to drive you home following oral conscious sedation.
It’s also possible to use a combination of dental sedation techniques, especially for those with major anxiety or undergoing complicated procedures. Mixing laughing gas and oral sedation causes the highest level of relaxation, and your dentist will monitor your vital signs closely during the procedure. Arranging a ride home is a necessity.
