Improve your dental health with dental sedation in Indianapolis, IN
Did you know that dental anxiety or fear is so common that there is a term for it? Dentophobia can be caused by bad previous dental experience or the fear that the treatment may be painful. Some individuals get caught up in the sounds and smell associated with the dentist’s office or worry about the implications of their strong gag reflex. Visiting the dentist is important for your oral health and overall wellness, but what do you do when you panic at the idea of scheduling that appointment? At Washington Street Dentistry in Indianapolis, IN, our team is committed to helping you improve your dental health with dental sedation. Sedation dentistry allows you to get the dental care you need (and deserve) while feeling relaxed and calm through the entire appointment.
What are the benefits of dental sedation?
For individuals who struggle with fear and anxiety, dental sedation can turn visiting the dentist into a positive experience which in turn will improve dental health. Some of the biggest benefits of dental sedation are:
- Reduce dental fear and anxiety
- Allow you to overcome the sounds and smells at the office
- Minimize the discomfort during a procedure
- Calm your overactive gag reflex
- Get necessary dental treatment for tooth decay or gum disease to prevent it from advancing
How does dental sedation work?
Sedation dental care involves the use of medications to calm you during your dental visit. During most forms of sedation, you are awake while the dental team is performing the procedure, but you will feel relaxed and will not have the physical feelings of anxiety that you typically have at the dentist’s office. With conscious sedation, you will be able to respond to commands from the dental team, but you will feel a heightened state of relaxation during your entire treatment.
Deciding which type of dental sedation to use depends on several different factors including individual needs, type of procedure, your ability to coordinate transportation. Typically, we will choose either Nitrous Oxide or Oral Conscious Sedation.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide is administered with a mask that delivers a gas to make you immediately feel relaxed and calm. It’s typically a good option for patients with only a mild fear of the dentist or those who have a strong gag reflex. With Nitrous Oxide, the effects can be felt right away, but they also wear off very quickly. Individuals who choose Nitrous Oxide dental sedation are free to drive themselves home from an appointment.
Oral Conscious Sedation
With oral conscious sedation, the dentist will prescribe a medication that you will take in advance of your appointment (typically about an hour). Individuals who choose Oral Conscious Sedation will need to arrange for transport to and from the dentist’s office. While patients will be awake with oral conscious sedation, most have little to no memory of the appointment. Oral Conscious Sedation is stronger than Nitrous Oxide and is typically a good option for those who have a more severe fear of the dentist, or those who are facing complex dental work that would otherwise take multiple appointments.
The most common side effects of Oral Conscious Sedation are drowsiness, sluggishness, or slow reflexes, but these typically only last a few hours. Patients are advised to rest for the remainder of the day and should be back to normal by the following day.
Improve your dental health with dental sedation treatment in Indianapolis, IN
Dr. Church and the team at Washington Street Dentistry believe that everyone should have access to dental care to improve their health. By offering sedation dentistry, we can help patients who experience dental fear or anxiety and turn their negative associations with the dentist into positive ones. In fact, many patients who utilize dental sedation for anxiety go on to receive care without sedation in future appointments.
As always, your safety and comfort are our number one priority. You shouldn’t have to live with toothaches, gum disease, or other dental problems due to fear or anxiety. If you have been putting off much needed dental care due to dentophobia, please give us a call at (317) 333-6788 to learn more about how dental sedation can improve your dental health.
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