Dentist visits are a cause of anxiety or even panic for some people. For others, it is extremely uncomfortable even if the reaction is not as dramatic. Many people have reasons for their fear of a dentist. Some of these are rational reasons, other are not. The point is, regardless of the reason, the effect is the same: discomfort, and in the worst cases even anxiety or panic attacks.

However, people need to realize that visits to the dentist are a necessary evil, as most teeth problems can only be averted or resolved by a professional. But what do you do if you are not accustomed to going to the dentist, and are fearful of needles and medical equipment. Well, if this is your case, there might be an alternative that will prove to offer a good compromise: oral sedation dentistry.

Why oral sedation dentistry is great for people who are anxious when going to the dentist

For those people that have an exaggerated fear of the dentist, there is the option of oral sedation dentistry. This procedure is practically painless and will not require things like needles, which might provoke anxiety for some people. It is also very safe and the effects will begin to be felt in a short time.

But how does it work, you might ask? Well, it is all very easy and convenient, for both the patient and the doctor. As you might expect from the name, it first involves a sedative of some kind, that people have to swallow. The sedative usually comes in the form of a pill or a liquid. Once it is taken, the patient must wait for the effect to take place. This usually requires an hour or so, give or take.

When the sedative begins to manifest itself, the patient will begin to feel relaxed and quite drowsy, which means he is ready for the procedure. Even though the person is drowsy, they will not be a nuisance for the doctor. On the contrary, patients that use oral sedation dentistry are very cooperative. The sedative given does make the person drowsy, but not unconscious, so he can do whatever the doctor asks of him. Another advantage of this method is that it is easier for the body to react to it, as opposed to other forms of sedation that practically put you to sleep.

Oral sedation dentistry also has an amnesiac effect

There is one more thing to know about oral sedation: it does have a pretty pronounced amnesiac effect. What this means is that it’s not uncommon to forget about everything that happened in the dentist’s office the following day after your visit. This creates a small problem, as people that undertake oral sedation should not be left unaccompanied, as they often cannot drive or walk home safely on their own.

Make sure that you ask a friend or family member to come with you before being administered the sedative.