5 Surprising Health Benefit Of Dental Sedation

Fear makes many a person avoid necessary trips to the dentist. The result could be a worse state than before which in turn could call for costlier treatment.

Forget the no pain, no gain! Dental sedation would surely come as a saving grace to you if you’re terrified of the pain that comes with a dental visit, particularly if your teeth and/or gums are on the sensitive side. Indeed, the hope of a more comfortable and relaxing experience at the dental clinic makes sedation dentistry an attraction.

Types of Sedation

Depending on the situation and the degree of sedation the patient requires, the dentist may opt for

• Oral sedation using a pill – The dentist would ask the patient to ingest a pill one hour prior to the dental appointment. An increase or decrease of dosage may be recommended to control sedation intensity.
• Inhaled sedation – In this type of sedation, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is introduced, in combination with oxygen, into the patient’s respiratory system using a mask placed on top of the nose. Under controlled conditions, patients take in the gas to feel calm when the dental treatment is in progress.
• Intravenous sedation – Here, a sedative drug is injected straight into the patient’s vein. The injection immediately impacts the patient’s consciousness level and the degree of sedation can be changed as per need.
• General anesthesia – In this type of anesthesia, the patient is put to deep sleep and so cannot hear or feel anything. This type of sedation is ideally done under the supervision of an anesthesiologist or qualified oral surgeon and can be carried out in a hospital setting.

The Astonishing Benefits

Here we present 5 astonishing health benefits of dental sedation.

1. No pain

As indicated at outset, a great benefit of sedation dentistry is the freedom from pain. Mild sedatives, when used alongside locally injected anesthetics can lessen the dread of needles while also deadening the pain sensations that come with injections.

No pain also means no memories of pain which means a greater willingness to return for another dental visit.

2. Respite from anxiety

A jittery feel, a panic attack, mind racing and more – anxious people are familiar with these feelings. Thanks to dental sedation, there’s no need to feel nervous or anxious. On the contrary, the patient will feel calm and relaxed all through the dental procedure.

Some people with a leaning towards nervousness could experience gag reflexes while seated on the dental chair. This, in turn, could cause them to sputter or choke. Gagging is also associated with psychological responses. In such a situation, a light form of sedation involves giving the patient nitrogen oxide inhalation with a Safe Sedate inhalation mask may be used. The benefit is little to nil psychological pressure and a calming effect whatever the procedure, whether a dental impression, x-ray or fillings.

3. Helps drown away triggering stimuli

For those who dread the visit with the dentist, the dentist’s room may be associated with various sounds, sights and smells that create panic. Whether drill noises, antiseptic odors or bright lights, sedatives can help patients better cope with these triggering stimuli to the extent that they are unaffected by them.

4. Opportunity for more or multiple dental works

Owing to sedative effects, the patient is not bothered by dental drills or antiseptic odor. A more relaxed and calm patient means he will sit for longer in the chair more willingly. This, in turn, gives the dentist scope to perform a longer or multiple procedures at a single sitting. So, no need to book multiple appointments. The end outcome is fewer visits required to get healthy, beautiful teeth and saving of valuable money and time.

5. No Memories to Haunt

This is a benefit particularly associated with IV sedation and certain oral sedatives. The majority of patients have little or frequently zero memory of the happenings of the dental procedure or treatment. The reason is that they are sleeping all the way through the procedure and waking only after completion of the treatment. This sole element can be particularly attractive to patients with disturbing memories of past dental experiences.

Dental sedation is indeed a dream come true for those looking for a way to combat dental phobia to keep their smile flawless always.