Posted by So many people are managing their lives to keep their anxiety triggers at bay. You’re not alone.
Sometimes it’s hard to know what will trigger that tension, and unending worry and sense of uncertainty. Now, your dental office can’t offer you answers for the outside world, but they can promise that they offer a calm, serene space and a kind ear.
Fear in a dental office comes in many forms. For some people they just don’t freeze well and dental work hurts. For others the gag reflex is so bad that just thinking about it will activate it. It’s nice to know that there are dental clinics that are not going to tell you its all in your head and they provide a safe non-judgmental environment. And if that’s not enough we have a secret weapon, and for a short time, it’s free.
That secret weapon? Conscious Sedation. No its not a weird meditation practice or a new-fangled drug with unknown side effects. Conscious Sedation has been used for years in the dental field. Many dentists do believe that it isn’t necessary and patients should be able to calm down on their own and experience their dental visit fully. We don’t think that is necessarily true. The fear is very real and you can really feel the anxiety even though it was developed many years ago. So if anxiety plagues your life, why wouldn’t you use the tools available to you? Especially if the tools are offered by trained professionals with an office fully equipped with monitors and updated safety equipment. Best of all is the fact that there is minimal side effects!
So what is Conscious Sedation? Essentially, once you’re conscious sedation appointment is booked, there is an entire protocol to follow. Your dentist will prescribe you a night pill. You’ll need to take it as directed before you come to your dental appointment. In the morning at the dental office you will receive more pills. The rest is dream time. The beauty of this system is that you will be conscious enough to hear instructions and follow them. However throughout the appointment you may actually be asleep.
If you are ever uncomfortable you will be able to signal the dentist to stop. Most of the time you will not remember your appointment. There are no after effects. You will not be groggy or have a hangover afterwards. We do ask for your own safety that you have someone pick you up after the appointment. We have known some patients who do lots of shopping after their sedation session and not remember a thing the next day. No anxiety. No fear. No uncertainty. Just a clean healthy mouth and a sense of well being and you return to work the next day.
If anxiety isn’t a problem for you, Conscious Sedation is a wonderful way to power through a long list of dental work in one session. It will save you both time and stress!
