Oral Sedation

Those who avoid making dental appointments due to the anxiety they cause can feel at ease at Wilmot Family Dentistry. We are committed to enhancing your comfort. We offer benzodiazepines, used for oral sedation, which is a popular and well-liked option to reduce the anxiety of being in a dental chair. It is frequently used to treat mild to moderate anxiety, pain relief and, in rare instances, to help the patient get a good night’s sleep before the appointment.

Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed by doctors for anxiety and panic disorders, which makes them particularly beneficial for people who experience dental anxiety. We advise patients to wait at least six hours before eating or drinking anything other than clear liquids before your visit. Eating just before taking the drug may decrease its effectiveness.

Laughing gas:

Nitrous oxide, sometimes referred to as “laughing gas,” is safe for both adults and children to alleviate dental anxiety. Patients remain conscious and awake throughout the procedure, when they are given nitrous oxide.

Your dentist might suggest laughing gas to help a patient’s anxiety in the chair The anesthesia is administered through A mask that is placed over the patient’s nose. When taking deep breaths into the mask, a patient will begin to feel more relaxed.

The effects of laughing gas wear off quickly in contrast to other forms of anesthesia in dentistry.

Patients are able to drive themselves home or to your place of employment following their procedure. Children are also able to go back to school following a procedure where laughing gas is administered.

When compared to other sedatives, laughing gas poses the fewest risks.

From a routine  teeth cleaning to root procedures, laughing gas can be safely administered. Additional painkillers may be prescribed for more comprehensive procedures. For examples, a filling will require a local anesthetic.

Oral sedation:

Plan ahead if your procedure requires oral sedation. Plan to have a ride to and from your appointment and prepare to fast for a few hours before your visit.

For children who need oral sedation, plan to keep them at home the remainder of the day following their dental procedure.

IV sedation:

When our dental providers administer IV sedation, an IV line is placed into the patient’s arm so the sedative flows continuously during the procedure this case. The patient’s vitals are closely monitored while under IV sedation and an oxygen mask is placed over the patient’s mouth.

Oral sedation procedures:

During a patient’s initial consultation, options for sedation can be discussed with thedental provider. Medical history will be taken into account along with any drugs or dietary supplements that may interfere with the sedative’s effectiveness allowing a dental provider to formulate appropriate sedative recommendations.

Typically, a patient should fast at least six hours before the procedure takes place.  Unless your dentist specifies otherwise, the patient should take all prescribed drugs consistently.

Alert your dentist if you are on a blood thinner like Warfarin, as this drug may interfere with the sedative’s effectiveness.

Sedation procedures:

Your dentist can administer sedatives to a patient before starting the procedure along withlocal anesthesia to numb the teeth and gums. They will typically do so after the patient has already experienced some level of comfort from the sedatives.

What follows sedation?

Plan to have a trustworthy friend or family member to drive you home after your appointment unless you select nitrous oxide as your sedative option.

The benefits of sedation dentistry:

Patients can avoid nerves and anxiety when opting to use an oral sedative. With a dentist’s recommendations, that take into consideration a patient’s health history and medication intake, a sedation plan to ease your pain in the dental chair can be discussed.

The risks of oral sedation

When given by a qualified healthcare professional, oral sedation is safe, however, there are always risks involved with the use of sedatives.

• Persistent sleepiness
• The effects of oral sedatives might be tricky to predict
• Mouth ache, or xerostomia
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headaches
• IV-related bruising

The results of oral sedative medications may also be unpredictable. A rare occurrence is a patient to has an allergy to the sedative, however depending on the nature of the allergy, this can be resolved with medication.

Negative effects of oral sedation in children

For children, sedation dentistry is safe. Side effects from child sedation dentistry are often transient, but they can include:

• Irritability
• Snoring
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting

Your youngster may occasionally be slow to wake up after sedation. If this occurs, your child will remain under supervision until discharged. . These side affects are normal and usually  disappear on their own in a day or two. Call your dentist if you have any specific questions or concerns.

Can pregnant women receive oral sedation?

In general, pregnant women should not be put under a sedative because may harm fetal development. In some circumstances, nitrous oxide may be administered throughout the second trimester. However, generally speaking, dentists defer providing oral sedation until after delivery.

How long does recovery take?

This depends on the  Those who were under nitrous oxide are typically back to normal within 15 to 30 minutes and can go for home on their own after their appointment. Oral conscious sedation or intravenous sedation normally requires about 24 hours for complete recovery.

When can patient eat after the treatment?

Patient’s can consume food and liquids right away following their appointment, but most choose to wait until the local anesthetic has worn off. Start with something light, such as clear liquids, then work  up to a smoothie or milkshake. Diet following a procedure will be based on the severity of the procedure as this will differ from patient to patient.

The patient will receive a list of postoperative instructions from the dentist. The instructions will indicate which foods are safe to eat and which should be avoided. Typically, a patient can resume eating normally one week after a dental operation. If both sides of the mouth were affected, it can take longer.

If you’ve recently been under sedation, it can take at least 24 hours for the effects to wear off. If you develop worrisome symptoms, such as nausea or vomiting, a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.33 degrees Celsius) or pain that doesn’t improve with medication, call or visit us at Wilmot family dentistry in Tucson, Arizona, for further instructions.