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Stay Knowledgeable About Sedation

Does the thought of having your teeth worked on make you anxious or uncomfortable? Does the sight of needles and the sound of dental drills make you cringe? Dental phobia is actually a lot more common than you may think, affecting about 15% of Americans. Not only will this fear affect your dental health but will put you more at risk to developing other health issues. Now imagine if you could have everything done while you nap comfortably, waking with zero recollection of the procedure. Would that be a dream come true or what? By the use of oral sedation, this can be your new dental reality.
 

But first, who does dental anxiety affect? What kinds of symptoms should one look out for? It can actually affect a wide range of patients, including people with:
 

• High dental anxiety and fear
• A severe gag reflex
• Difficulty getting numb
• Extensive treatment needs
• A desire to have dentistry done comfortably while they are in a relaxed state

To break it down simply, sedation dentistry your dentist’s way to relax you enough to handle the dental procedure and it’s done through the use of medication. There are various levels that you can be sedated, from minimal sedation to the completely unconscious general anesthesia. The idea is to make you as comfortable as possible as they do their job and to make recovery time minimal.

It is important to discuss all of your options with your dental professional before any procedure. Mention your medical history or any other vital information that will help them to decide the appropriate method. The more you know, the calmer you will feel when it’s time to get things done. And isn’t that the point?