Let's Talk About Sedation Dentistry

Do you often put off dental cleanings or much-needed dental work due to anxiety? If so, you’re certainly not alone. An estimated 36% of people living in the United States also avoid the dentist because of dental anxiety. 

Since fear of the dentist is widespread, sedation dentistry has become a standard offering among dental practices. These services provide different medications to help you feel calm and relaxed during dental procedures. 

Nodesh Shyamsunder, BDS, Jasleen Raina, DDS, and the rest of our team at Beaches Dentistry in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, understand how frightening it can be to undergo any type of dental procedure. 

However, your oral health can start to suffer if you avoid visiting us. To ensure your comfort during treatment, we offer sedation dentistry. This month’s blog discusses everything you need to know about this branch of dentistry. 

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry uses a variety of medications to help you relax during dental procedures. In most cases, you’re still awake and can respond to simple commands during sedation dentistry. Though you’re still conscious, you enter a state of relaxation and forgetfulness and lose sensitivity to pain.

You may want to consider sedation dentistry if you have severe dental anxiety or struggle with any of the following: 

• Highly sensitive gag reflex
• Issues controlling body movements or sitting still
• Fear of blood or needles
• Tooth sensitivity 

You can get sedation dentistry for even simple dental cleanings and checkups, but our team may also recommend sedation dentistry if you need longer and more arduous dental procedures. 

What are the different types of sedation dentistry? 

While there’s a wide variety of sedation dentistry techniques, at Beaches Dentistry, we utilize two options: nitrous oxide and intravenous (IV) sedation. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Nitrous oxide 

Better known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide is a medication that you breathe in through nose and mouth pieces that are attached to a tube. After about five minutes of inhaling the laughing gas, you should feel very relaxed but still awake. 

After our team completes your dental work, we send oxygen through the nose and mouth pieces to flush out the laughing gas. This medication leaves your system quickly; you can drive yourself home after the procedure.  

IV sedation

During IV sedation, the medication is delivered through an IV line in your arm. When you undergo IV sedation, our team continuously monitors your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels; we are prepared to reverse the effects should you experience a reaction. 

With IV sedation, you most likely fall asleep and forget the majority of the procedure. Since the effects of IV sedation take much longer to wear off, you need someone to drive you home afterward. 

To learn more about sedation dentistry, contact our team by calling our office or scheduling a consultation appointment online today.