Scared of the Dentist? Sedation May Be the Right Answer

Quite a few people are scared of the dentist, so you are not alone. Some have a fear of the unknown, and the idea of someone closely inspecting their mouth makes them a little anxious.

Painless Dental Treatment in Tempe

However, some have a phobia of the dentist. No matter how much fear you have, we have an excellent solution for you. We can provide sedation to you, which will help you to relax.

General Information

You may have heard of “sleep dentistry“, but in the dental field it involves a little bit more than that. Not all forms of 'calming a patient' can put you out.

Sedation helps to ease your anxieties during the procedure. The type you will receive depends greatly on the amount of fear you have, plus a few other factors.

Types of Sedation

“Laughing Gas“—This common type of sedation is nitrous oxide, and it is inhaled. It helps to relieve anxiety during a procedure, and it does not put people to sleep. You may be able to drive yourself home after having nitrous oxide.

Enteral Sedation—This type is taken orally in the form of a pill or liquid. It will make you drowsy, which can make you fall asleep, but you can be woken up easily. It can be used in conjunction with nitrous oxide, and it helps to ease those who are nervous about dental procedures.

IV Sedation—This type involves using an IV. People with IV sedation are still awake, but they are in a deeper form of sedation that makes them less aware of their dental work.

General Anesthesia—This type puts people to sleep throughout their dental procedure.

Side Effects

You may or may not remember your dental procedure in entirety. Some forms of sedation make it difficult to remember your procedure, which is helpful for those who have anxiety or phobias.

In general, this process can cause dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness and headaches at times.

It’s a good idea to arrange for someone to drive you home unless you are cleared by the dentist.

Aftercare

Your sedation should wear off in the appropriate time, but it can last up to 24 hours after your procedure. It’s best that you not schedule any activities after your appointment and take it easy.

Also, depending upon your procedure, it would be best for you to rest to allow the medications to work their way out of your system and allow your mouth to heal, in the event you had more invasive dental work.

Do not consume alcohol or smoke for at least 24 hours after your procedure.

It helps to not dwell on a dental procedure. You have probably heard at one point the famous quote, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Thinking about fear will cause it to build.

You will see that your procedure is less scary than the feeling you have thinking about it. You can also get it to help you through it.

The longer you put off your dental work the more dental intervention you will need. It’s better to get it done as quickly as possible.

Noble Dental Care is accepting new patients and would love to be your Tempe dentist. Call our office today for an appointment. We look forward to meeting you!