Your Sedation Dentist Can Make Dental Care Pain Free And Relaxing

Your sedation dentist can make dental care pain free. This means you can relax and get your teeth fixed. Sedative drugs are those that depress the central nervous system (CNS). They are very useful for people who are afraid of dentists, those who have phobias concerning needles and for people who are afraid of suffering intolerable pain. These drugs can also help to dampen what is called the gag reflex. Gagging during a dental procedure can be distressing for both the patient and the dentist, who may fear hurting the patient with sharp instruments.

The sedative drugs used in dental procedures are generally administered in one of three different ways.

These are orally (by mouth), by gaseous inhalation or intra-venously (IV). Oral administration is also called ‘enteral’, meaning the drug crosses the enteric membranes lining the oral and digestive cavities. The other two methods, inhalation and IV are called ‘parental’. The drugs used do not cross enteric membranes. All of these have their own benefits as well as their disadvantages. All are safe when used by a qualified and specially trained dental anesthesiologist.

Oral dental sedatives are safe, economical and convenient. They are very effective and may, in fact, put the patient in a more relaxed state than other drugs. The patient remains conscious and able to respond to simple instructions or questions by the dentist. This type of medication is ideal for people who are afraid of needles or sharp instruments. This is known as belonephobia.

Oral sedatives are usually drugs that belong to the benzodiazepine family, such as midozalam or valium.

These drugs provide relief from anxiety, induce a drowsy state and help the patient to forget the details of the procedure, sometimes enabling them to forget it completely. These drug may sometimes be augmented or substituted altogether by using an antihistamine.

The gas most commonly used in inhalation sedation is nitrous oxide, more commonly known as ‘laughing gas’. It offers the most gentle sedation and is one of the safest methods. The patient enters a state of mind similar to being drunk. They are completely relaxed and unperturbed by what is going on but they are still able to communicate with the people around them.

Nitrous oxide is never administered at 100 per cent concentration, but always in conjunction with oxygen.

For the first few minutes, the patient is given pure oxygen, then the NO is gradually introduced. At the end of the procedure, pure oxygen is again administered. If the patient needs to get up to visit the rest room, they are gradually ‘weaned’ off the NO onto pure oxygen briefly to make it easier for them to walk around safely.

Sometimes the patient and their dentist may opt for IV sedation. This may be because the procedure is going to be complicated or stressful. Here, benzodiazepines are most commonly used. Although valium is marginally more economical than midozalam, it is somewhat harsh and can cause the patient to feel a burning sensation as it enters the circulation. There are new formulations, such as emulsions, that are gentler on the veins.

While a sedation dentist can make dental care pain free, sedation should not be mistaken for going to sleep, or general anesthesia.

The patient is drowsy but they are still awake and able to respond to what their dentist may need to say to them.

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