A Sedation Dentist Answers Your Questions About Side Effects

In our sedation dentist office, we are asked a lot of questions about sedation dentistry.  Many people are still unfamiliar with the term and how it can help them.  In general, if you have dental anxiety or are worried about feeling discomfort, you should visit a sedation dentist.  We can ensure that you receive the dental care that you need while remaining relaxed and comfortable.  This is ideal for those suffering from dental anxiety.  Given that millions of people do, if you are in this category, you are not alone.  If you haven’t been to our office before, we invite you to schedule a consultation so that we can discuss your options.

During this first appointment, many people ask us whether or not there are side effects associated with sedation dentistry and what the risks are.

Sedation dentistry is typically entirely safe.  We have found that any risks are typically not from the dental work itself or from the sedation but caused by any other health problems that exist.  For example, a diabetic has to be careful to control their blood pressure prior to having dental work because a diabetic episode can make it more difficult to recover from any type of procedures. Information on the rest of your health, therefore, is important to divulge.  If we feel that you are not healthy enough for dental work or sedation we will discuss what your options are in greater detail.  For the most part, however, visiting a sedation dentist is entirely safe.

There is more than one type of sedation, and the type that you select will impact how quickly you bounce back.  If, for example, you use nitrous oxide, this will help to relieve your anxiety, and you shouldn’t feel drowsy or out of it afterwards.  If, however, you are put to sleep or use more heavy sedation, you can expect to feel drowsy afterwards.  Feeling drowsy isn’t typically a big deal but you will need to have someone drive you home.  Driving while drowsy is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated so this is not a worthwhile risk.

When you get home, you should go to bed and rest for twelve hours.  This will help you to recover from your procedure and if you have been put to sleep, this time of rest will help you to feel like yourself again.  As a sedation dentist, we suggest getting a good book or a few movies to watch and hanging out for the rest of the day after your procedure.  The next day you should feel fine. You should also put water next to your bed since most people report feeling extra thirsty after sedation dentistry.  This is nothing to be alarmed about and staying hydrated is good for you anyway.  Plan on drinking extra water for the next day so that you don’t feel dehydrated.

If you have other questions about sedation or dental work, in general, visit our sedation dentist office.