Fortunately, you don’t have to let dental anxiety or dental phobia prevent you from going to
the dentist. With modern sedation options, your dentist may be able to help alleviate your
anxiety during your appointment and get the treatment you need for healthy teeth and gums!

What are your sedation options to help stop dental anxiety when it comes to seeing your
dentist?

Mild Sedation: Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide, often referred to as laughing gas, is an inhaled substance that’s used to stop the patient from experiencing pain and anxiety during a procedure.

While inhaling nitrous oxide, you won’t be asleep, but you won’t feel anxious either. Laughing gas is considered to be safe and is used at the majority of dental practices. Nitrous oxide is considered a non-invasive form of sedation as you’ll simply breathe it in through a mask.

The effects of this form of dental sedation are short-lived and you can drive yourself home from the appointment without any lasting effects.

Moderate Sedation: Oral Sedation

If you’d like to be a bit more sedated due to your dental fear or anxiety, you may want to ask your dentist about oral sedation.

During this form of sedation, you’ll be prescribed a pill or a liquid that you’ll take before your appointment. You will need someone to drive you to and from the appointment, but the idea is that you’ll arrive to your appointment relaxed and worry-free.

You may receive other forms of sedation during your treatment as needed to control pain or anxiety, but many people find that this form of conscious sedation helps them to visit their dentist without fear.

Moderate to Heavy Sedation: IV Sedation

Receiving a heavier form of sedation is possible at your dentist’s office with IV sedation, in
which the sedative will be administered directly into your vein for an instantaneous effect.

IV sedation is considered a moderate to heavy form of sedation in which you’ll still be awake and aware, but may feel as though you are asleep. This type of sedation is often used for shorter dental procedures.

As with oral sedation, you will require someone to drive you home from the appointment and may need a bit of time to recover from the sedative following your procedure.

Deep Sedation: General Anesthesia

General anesthesia is the deepest form of sedation you can receive. You’ll essentially be asleep for your entire procedure and may not even recall the procedure. Your dentist or oral surgeon will administer this sedative through an IV.

The effects of general anesthesia have the potential to affect you for hours after your
appointment, so it’s important to plan for this as well as to plan for someone to be waiting for you at the office to take you home.

General anesthesia is typically only considered for dental patients who need oral surgery or for people who for one reason or another do not qualify for other forms of sedation dentistry.

Have you been suffering from dental anxiety or dental phobia and let it prevent you from going to the dentist? You have options for receiving sedation dentistry to get the care you need, even if it’s just a professional teeth cleaning. Talk with your dentist about your sedation options to help alleviate your fear and anxiety at the dentist!

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Dental sedation is something many dentists now offer their patients with dental anxiety. It’s used during procedures that may not necessarily require sedation, but sedation is necessary in order for the patient to relax during treatment.

Sedation choices are administered in different ways and will vary by your anxiety level. You can speak with your dentist before your appointment about which one is right for you. Here are your options when it comes to sedation dentistry.

Low Anxiety: Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide)

You’ve certainly heard of laughing gas, which is one of the lightest forms of sedation. Its effects will wear off fairly quickly and you’ll be alert and conscious throughout the procedure, although you may not remember all of it. Laughing gas is ideal for patients who need to be able to drive themselves home after the procedure or return to work afterward.

Laughing gas may be a good fit for you if you feel uncomfortable with deeper levels of sedation and want to be as alert as possible throughout the procedure. However, you’ll still be relaxed and pain-free, making this form of sedation a good choice for people who suffer from low anxiety.

Moderate Anxiety: Oral Sedatives

If you suffer from moderate dental anxiety, oral sedatives may be a better choice for you. These are medications that you’ll take prior to your appointment, and include diazepam (Valium), zaleplon (Sonata), and lorazepam (Ativan). All of these are designed to take effect before you go to the dentist, so you’ll need to arrange for someone to drive you to and from the appointment.

Under this type of sedation, you’re still fully awake but your anxiety will be gone. You may feel relaxed and sleepy until the medication gets out of your system, and you may not remember your procedure very well. Your dentist can talk with you about which type of medication would be best and can arrange for a prescription prior to your appointment.

Severe Anxiety: General Anesthesia

For people with severe dental anxiety or dental phobia, general anesthesia may be the best option. Although general anesthesia is usually used to put people into a state of complete unconsciousness, your dentist will be able to control your level of unconsciousness to provide you with just the right level of sedation for your needs.

This type of anesthesia may be used for more intensive dental work. It’s done intravenously, so no oral sedatives or nitrous oxide will be used with this form of sedation. Although it provides the most calm during your appointment, it’s best reserved for people who have severe dental anxiety and need the highest level of sedation to relax and be comfortable during their time in the dentist chair.

Have you been putting off a dentist appointment because of your dental anxiety? You may benefit from dental sedation. Schedule a visit to talk with your dentist about the different types of sedation. From laughing gas to oral sedatives to general anesthesia, you could improve your experience at the dentist through the right type of dental sedation!

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Nitrous Oxide: Minimal Sedation

You may know this gas by its more common name, laughing gas. This is the lightest level of sedation and the only one in which you should be able to drive home after your appointment. Nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a mask that your dentist puts on your nose. As nitrous oxide has a short-term effect, you’ll feel relatively normal soon after the procedure.

Oral Sedation: From Mild to Moderate

Oral sedation is totally customizable—you and your dentist can discuss which level of sedation would be best to help relieve your dental anxiety. For this type of sedation, you’ll usually swallow a pill about an hour or so before your dental procedure. While you may become drowsy, you will still be awake and be able to respond. This is one of the most common sedation dentistry methods used as the dose can be adjusted for mild to moderate sedation.

IV Sedation: Moderate Sedation

For IV sedation, you’ll receive your sedation through an IV. This will allow the drug to quickly relax you before your procedure. This is not the same as general anesthesia, in which you would be totally unconscious during the procedure. During an IV sedation, you are still partially awake and able to respond to commands or stimuli. This is for people who don’t respond well to oral sedation or would like a quicker method of relaxation rather than waiting for a medication to work.

General Anesthesia: Deep Sedation

General anesthesia is the deepest level of sedation in which you will be totally unconscious during the dental procedure. You will not be able to respond to commands or be roused from your state. General anesthesia requires that your breathing and heart rate be monitored, as this deep level of sedation affects these most basic functions. This form of sedation may be used if you need a lot of dental work, cannot relax even with the other methods of sedation, or if you need oral surgery.

Sedation dentistry makes going to the dentist easier for people who suffer from dental anxiety. It can enable patients who haven’t been to the dentist in years to get the much needed treatment they need without the fear and anxiety of pain. It’s important to find a dentist who’s experienced in sedation dentistry and understands your fears and concerns. Find a local dentist who can offer sedation dentistry to relieve your dental anxiety so that you can enjoy your smile again!

Image courtesy of stockimages at freedigitalimages.net

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There is help for people with dental phobia, and overcoming your dental phobia is an important step in taking the best care possible of your smile. Taking a closer look at dental phobia could help you understand this condition, its consequences, and what you can do about it.

Symptoms of Dental Phobia

A phobia can be defined as a deep fear that’s often irrational, but not to its sufferers. People who experience dental phobia are absolutely terrified of visiting the dentist. The symptoms of dental phobia include panic at the thought of visiting a dentist, loss of sleep, or extreme anxiety the night before and the hours before your scheduled appointment. Even trouble trouble or becoming physically ill are all symptoms of dental phobia. People experience dental phobia for a variety of reasons. Many people have a fear of pain, a feeling that they’ve lost control over what’s happening to them, even negative previous experiences with a dentist.

Consequences of Avoiding the Dentist

People who experience dental phobia have an increased risk for tooth decay, gum disease, and premature tooth loss. A dentist is a trained professional that can spot signs of oral health problems before they happen—these include oral cancer and periodontal disease.

Poor oral hygiene is connected to other serious health problems such as heart disease and even a reduced life expectancy. If you’re terrified of going to the dentist, you may even forgo the dentist if you have an infection, a knocked-out tooth, or discolored teeth. All of these can make you feel self-conscious and embarrassed, therefore leading you to not smile and further your anxiety.

Help for Those with Dental Phobia

You don’t have to merely accept your dental phobia and live with it forever. There is help and hope for those who suffer from dental phobia. What can you do if you experience an extreme fear of the dentist, leading you to avoid dental care?

Talk to your dentist. Find a compassionate dentist who has experience dealing with dental phobia and dental anxiety. Tell him or her that you’re experiencing fear and dread over the appointment. A good dentist will listen, allow you to be in control, and even talk with you about options such as sedation dentistry to help.

Consult a mental health professional. A counselor or therapist can help you uncover the reasons behind your extreme fear about the dentist and work with you to overcome it. They may also be able to help you find a dentist that best fits your needs.

Know that you’re not alone. Millions of people experience dental phobia and dental anxiety. As such, there are many wonderful dentists out there who would be more than willing to work with you. You can also find support, forums, and more at http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/resources/dental-phobia-links/

Living with dental phobia could cost you your smile. The earlier you seek help and treatment for your fears, the sooner you can see a dentist and ensure your dental health. Having a healthy smile is linked to having a healthy body—getting over your dental phobia is the key to having a healthy, beautiful smile for life.

The post Is Your Dental Phobia Harming Your Health? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Sedation Dentistry

If you’re anxious about visiting the dentist, talk with your dentist’s office about sedation dentistry before your visit. Sedation dentistry is the practice of using medication to help you relax during your visit. There are several types of sedation, depending upon your anxiety level as well as your preference. You may opt to be minimally sedated, meaning you’ll still be awake and aware, yet relaxed. If the thought of still being aware during the procedure makes you anxious, you may choose to be moderately sedated, in which you’ll still be conscious, but likely not remember the procedure.

If you want to be even further sedated, you could ask your dentist for a deep sedation, in which you’ll be barely conscious, or finally, just have general anesthesia done, in which you’re completely unconscious. Most dentist offices offer sedation dentistry and you’ll need to confirm and ask what types will be available to you on the day of your visit.

Advanced Technology

When was the last time you went to the dentist? If it’s been a little while, remember that modern technology has changed the field of dentistry and the dentist today likely isn’t the dentist of your childhood memories. Most of the tools the dentists use are quiet, small, and minimally invasive. Technology makes many dental procedures less invasive, such as laser treatments and quiet drills. Nearly any treatment offered by your dentist now is able to be completely pain-free! It’s always important to voice your fears to your dentist or dentist office before treatment so that your appointment will be comfortable and painless for you.

Finding the Right Dentist

Remember that while dental appointments and dental work might make you anxious, the longer you put off treatment, the more work you’ll need and the worse your oral health will be. So while it’s challenging to visit a dentist while you have anxiety, you can start by looking for the right dentist to help you. The right dentist will be someone who’s caring and compassionate, especially in regards to your dental anxiety. You might start by asking your friends and family for recommendations: dental anxiety is very common, and some people might be able to recommend a dentist they’ve had positive experiences with even with dental anxiety. There are plenty of dentists out there who see patients with dental anxiety all the time—you just have to find a dentist that you’re confident will fit your needs.

Take the time to visit different dentist offices, talk to the receptionists, ask about sedation dentistry, and even meet the dentist. Don’t delay your dental appointments because of your anxiety—remember that you can find the best dentist for you with a little research, and sedation dentistry and technology can help make your appointment worry-free!

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