The main cause of dental anxiety is many people believe that dental procedures are super painful, and they prefer losing a tooth to saving it. However, that’s not the case. All cosmetic, restorative, and preventive dental procedures are painless, thanks to sedation.
In this blog, we will discuss oral sedation in detail. Hopefully, the information will help you overcome dental anxiety and appreciate sedation more. We are here for you if you are looking for a sedation dentist near you in Richmond, TX.
Table of Contents
What is Sedation?
Sedation is the use of anaesthetic drugs to provide a pain-free, calm, comfortable, and relaxing dental experience.
The Painkilling drugs are administered in different ways, such as laughing gas, tranquillizers, IV sedation, and anti-anxiety medications, among others. Your dentist will help you choose the most suitable anesthesia, depending on your oral health, the procedure to be performed, and your reaction to sedation.
Most anesthetic medicines used in sedation dentistry near you maintain consciousness. Therefore, you will be awake during the procedure, but you won’t feel any pain.
How Does Oral Sedation Work?
Typically, the anesthetics prevent you from feeling pain during the dental procedure. In most cases, the dentist will give you pills that will make you feel dizzy, and sometimes you might fall asleep.
However, the medication will not knock you down. You will still be conscious. If you feel uncomfortable or slight pain, talk to the dentist so he can adjust the level of sedation.
The effects of the sedation can last for up to six hours, depending on the dosage. This means your mouth will not be sensitive, and you might not feel if you bite your tongue while chewing. For that reason, we recommend eating foods that do not require a lot of chewing for the first six hours. For example, you can take ice cream.
The sedation will remain in your blood for 24 to 36 hours, especially if it’s deep sedation. It can affect your level of concentration. For that reason, don’t drive or make any crucial decisions at that time. In fact, you should have someone to drive you home after the procedure. However, if the dentist uses laughing gas, you can drive yourself home and get to your routine immediately after the procedure.
Is Oral Sedation Safe?
Yes, oral sedation is safe, and it’s not associated with any serious side effects. However, it is vital to provide your dentist with correct information when he asks you questions and give him your medical history. Sedation dentistry is also safe for kids. Any dentist can administer oral sedation. However, it is important to ensure that the dentist is allowed to use IV sedation if that’s what is required.
Who Can Use Oral Sedation?
Sedation dentistry does not come with any significant risks, and most people can enjoy its benefits. Here are some perfect candidates for sedation dentistry:
- Anyone with dental anxiety
- Anyone afraid of needles and scents of dental clinics
- A person with past traumatic experiences in a dental clinic
- Anyone requiring advanced dental procedures such as root canal and tooth extraction.
Benefits of Oral Sedation
Sedation dentistry comes with many benefits, which include:
- It is easy to administer since you will just need to take a pill or two, and that’s it. Typically, you should take the pill at least an hour before the procedure.
- In most cases, sedation dentistry does not use needles.
- It is safe. The medications are FDA-approved, and they are not associated with serious side effects.
- It prevents you from feeling pain, reducing dental anxiety.
Downsides of Oral Sedation
As much as it has many benefits, oral sedation still has some downsides. They include:
- It affects your concentration, so you have to come with someone to drive you home after the procedure.
- The effects are not immediate, and you have to take the pill some minutes before the procedure.
- Some people feel dizzy and slight headaches after taking anesthetic medications.
Charm Dental
If you are looking for sedation dentistry in Richmond, TX, you are in the right place. We have one of the best dentists in Richmond, and we assure you of high-quality services. We use state-of-the-art technology, and you can count on us for comfortable and affordable dental services. Book an appointment today.
