Gateway Family Dental Blog
How Can You Beat Your Fear of the Dentist?
Fear of the dentist can make it nearly impossible to get the dental care you really need. Fortunately, sedation dentistry makes it easier and more comfortable for people with dental phobia to visit their dentists and get healthy, beautiful smiles.
Dr. Rachel Erwin
at Gateway Family Dentistry in Murfreesboro is proud to offer a variety of sedation dentistry options to ensure that each of her patients is comfortable and confident in her office.
Here’s a closer look at how sedation dentistry can help
you conquer your fear of visiting the dentist.
Control Minor Anxiety With Oral Sedation
Anxiety surrounding a visit to the dentist can be overwhelming. Claustrophobia, fear of procedures, and fear of needles can create truly bad experiences at the dentist.
Sedation dentistry can help relieve this anxiety so your procedure goes by more easily and smoothly.
Typically, patients with minor anxiety can choose oral sedation or nitrous oxide to decrease anxiety levels during their appointment.
Oral sedation is the easiest and most accessible way to control minor dental anxiety. You’ll simply take an oral sedative (a pill) about 30 minutes prior to your procedure. This will significantly decrease your sense of panic and anxiety and make it much easier for your dentist to complete your treatment.
It is important to have someone available to drive you home from your dental appointment after taking oral sedation, as the effects can take up to 24 hours to fully wear off.
Fortunately, there are other options to control minor anxiety if you don’t want to take a pill.
Nitrous Oxide For Dental Fear
Another option for controlling anxiety at the dentist is nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas.
Laughing gas is an effective form of conscious sedation, meaning you’ll probably stay awake during the procedure, and you won’t need assistance breathing.
The effects of nitrous oxide wear off as soon as you stop breathing the gas, so you won’t need anyone to drive you home afterward.
Choose Your Level of Sedation
For many people, dental phobia is severe enough that they need more intense sedation to undergo any sort of procedure.
Fortunately, there are additional forms of sedation available to address this issue.
IV sedation, also known as sleep dentistry or twilight sleep, will decrease your consciousness enough that you won’t feel pain or remember much of the procedure.
IV sedation is administered directly into the bloodstream via IV. This helps the sedative take effect more quickly. You will still be able to breathe on your own and may be able to respond to external stimuli.
This type of sedation won’t wear off immediately, so it’s important to have a post-appointment escort available to drive you home.
For individuals with the most severe form of dental phobia, general anesthesia may be recommended. General anesthesia will render you completely unconscious. Additionally, GA requires intubation and monitoring, since patients cannot regulate their own breathing, and cardiovascular function can be impaired.
Sedation Dentistry in Murfreesboro, TN
If you’ve been avoiding a necessary dental treatment due to fear or anxiety, sedation dentistry may be the best route for you.
Gateway Family Dentistry in Murfreesboro, Tennessee specializes in sedation dentistry to help patients relax and receive the dental care they need.
Contact our dental office
today to learn more or to make your appointment.
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