So, let’s say you have an upcoming dental treatment. To make things easier on you, your dentist recommends that you be sedated during the procedure. However, you’ve never experienced dental sedation before now. Are you wondering about the feelings it produces? If so, then this article may be helpful. Read on to learn about sedation dentistry, the sensations it involves, and how to know if you’re a candidate for it.
What’s Sedation Dentistry Anyway?
To put it simply, sedation dentistry is a set of methods that use medication to relax you for dental procedures. Dentists often use it to treat patients with dental anxiety.
More specifically, this sedation has you take anesthetics with calming effects, including one or several drugs on the day of your appointment.
What’s It Feel Like?
How you experience your sedative will depend on which kind you receive. As it happens, there are different kinds of sedation dentistry, each with unique effects. Here’s what to expect from two of the most popular ones.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
You may know nitrous oxide by its more popular name, “laughing gas.” As a sedative, it’s mild but effective.
Nitrous oxide sedation is when your dentist has you inhale this ‘laughing gas’ through a small mask covering your nose. As you do, you’ll experience mild giddiness and euphoria that help you relax. You’ll remain conscious and alert, then, but also feel stress-free and without fear. As a result, your dental treatment will go more smoothly.
The effects of the gas fade after a few minutes of breathing normal air, so it’s completely safe.
Oral Conscious Sedation
In contrast, oral conscious sedation involves taking medication before your treatment starts.
Unlike nitrous oxide, this medication will be a “heavier” sedative. As a result, it’ll make you feel more deeply relaxed in comparison. Even so, you’ll remain conscious and aware of your surroundings.
Keep in mind that the medicine might make you feel groggy for the rest of your day. Plus, it may take a few hours for the effects to wear off.
How Do I Know if I’m a Candidate?
You’ll need to talk to your dentist about your medical history and current health to know if you qualify. If you do, though, preparations are generally minor. You won’t need to set major plans in advance for nitrous oxide sedation. Meanwhile, you’ll need a friend or family member to drive you home if you’ve undergone oral conscious sedation.
Whatever your background, you can trust that sedation dentistry is a safe and successful service. That said, go ahead and confirm with your dentist whether it would work for you!
About the Author
Dr. John White is a dentist in Asheville, NC, having earned his DDS from the University of North Carolina. For post-doctoral work, he took part in a two-year residency at Wake Forest University’s Baptist Hospital and the Bowman Gray School of Medicine. His services include preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, not to mention dental sedation and emergency treatment. Dr. White currently practices at his self-titled clinic and can be reached at his website or by phone at (828)-684-3020.