Healthcare today has significantly improved from what it was many years back. As medical professionals get more advanced in their skills and fields of specialization, so also has their ability to provide better services to patients. In this regard, the dental industry isn’t anywhere far behind. They’ve also been able to keep up with the latest trends and updates. One concrete proof of that is sedation dentistry.
This area of specification in the field of dentistry basically has to do with putting the patient on a twilight sleep. The patient will have little to no memory about undergoing the procedure, but in the following hours after the procedure, they slowly become gradually awake.
But, could you actually benefit from sedation dentistry? If so, how? This article gives you the breakdown.
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Helps Fearful Patients Relax
Truth be told, a trip to the dentist isn’t as troubling as it seems. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize that dentists are very friendly and gentle. Plus, generally, procedures are also painless. For children, it’s perhaps the chair and other pieces of dental equipment all resembling an operating theatre that causes their fears.
For some patients, however, a trip to the dentist is a totally horrific experience. They don’t know how to control their emotions and be still while they’re glued on the seat. This is when sedation might be necessary. Not only does the patient stay calm and fearless, but it also means less unnecessary movements. When dentists are dealing with your teeth, it’s important to sit still. Else, an accidental injury may be done due to the sharp tools involved in the process.
If you wish to speak with a dentist first about sedation dentistry and its ability to calm your fears, you can visit familydentalhealth.com.
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Helps Patients Calm Down Their Anxiety
Can anxiety attacks happen during dental visits? Yes. For others, their anxiety may be manageable and temporary. However, some get way too perturbed that they begin to experience severe anxiety attacks, which could lead to dentists committing errors.
In the worst cases, patients may not be able to receive the care that they need. They may even be sent home or be asked to come back. These situations highlight the importance of sedation industry. Before the procedure, the patient is sedated. That way, they stay calm and relaxed during the procedure. Rather than getting distracted, the dentist can now focus on getting the work done accurately and as quickly as possible.
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Helps Patients With Pronounced Gag Reflex
The gag reflex of a person refers to the contraction at the back of the throat due to an object touching the mouth, tongue, tonsils, or throat. This reflex is important as it helps prevent choking. Unfortunately, there are some people with a pronounced gag reflex. This means that they’re highly sensitive to whatever object that comes into their mouth that they immediately spit or let it out.
Patients with such a condition could make dentists’ work even more difficult. Naturally, the dentist is going to be poking through their mouth area. The procedure can also include the application of cotton balls and other relevant tools or instruments. With a pronounced gag reflex, the patient will only keep on spitting and coughing these out, making it hard for the dentist to go through with the procedure.
To avoid this from happening, the dentist may call for sedation. That way, a patient’s gag reflex stays still while the procedure is ongoing, and the dentist can finish their job, quickly and accurately at that.
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Removes Any Traumatic Memories Of Dental Visits
This section generally applies to children. Some kids may have become fearful of dentists due to past experiences. The fear usually comes from a collection of traumatic memories that have piled up over time. Thus, whenever they go see a dentist, these memories come flashing back, causing kids to panic and start having tantrums.
In sedation dentistry, anterograde amnesia happens. This means that the mind doesn’t collect any additional memory during this dental visit. That way, the patient’s fears may gradually subside, and they might not feel as anxious during their succeeding visits.
Regular dentist visits are very important for oral health. But, some draw away from committing to it simply because they’re afraid. This isn’t a good bargain as you’re only damaging your oral health in the long run. Thanks to sedation dentistry, patients are more encouraged to visit dentists as often as required.
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Adds A Level Of Comfort
Is laying still on a dentist’s chair uncomfortable for you? Sedation dentistry can easily solve that problem. Because you’re sedated, you’ll feel nothing else but relaxation and comfort throughout the whole procedure.
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Pain Relief
Despite all the positive benefits of going to the dentist, here’s one truth to know: it’s going to be painful at times. There’s no other way to put it. Even in procedures as simple as teeth cleaning, you might still feel pain one way or another. Also, a patient may already be experiencing some kind of pain, such as gum or tooth pain, even before undergoing any procedure. Add to that the pain from the procedure itself; chances are the patient can be in so much pain all throughout the whole process.
With sedation dentistry, a temporary form of pain relief is also given. The dentist won’t have to worry about the patient feeling even more pain from the procedure. When it’s over, it’s like nothing even happened.
Conclusion
Many, be it children or adults, are afraid of the dentist, particularly first-timers. There’s something about dental clinics that makes people anxious. This anxiety most times leads to patients putting dental visits off to a later date, which isn’t always the best option especially if it involves issues that need immediate attention. This is when sedation dentistry comes into the picture. This type of anesthesia is not as strong as general anesthesia, but it keeps patients relaxed and asleep throughout the procedure. Through sedation dentistry, the once fearful patients can enjoy the benefits enumerated above.
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