Prepare For Your Trip to the Dentist

Any time the issue of a trip to the dentist comes up, the issue of pain comes to mind. However, with the right amount of sedation, you will feel less pain during any procedures that may be invasive. In case you are scheduled for dentistry sedation, then you need a few tips before you undergo the procedure. This will ensure that your scheduled appointment is seamless and easy.

Do Adequate Research

Once you go to your dentist’s office for the procedure, you are more likely to be ease in case you know what will happen at your dental doctor’s office. You can research on the kind of sedation to be used if you already know what your dental practitioner will use and the effect it will have on you. Nevertheless, if you are yet to make a decision on the sedation, then you need to research further on what is available in terms of sedation. Look into what is available. It may be oral sedation, inhaled sedation or IV sedation. Find out the costs, effects and the risk involved from each of sedation type.

The American Dentistry Association has information that is trusted. However, you can get information from message boards or blog posts that have discussions on personal experiences that people have had with sedation. You get opinions from the patient’s point of view without having to compromise information from professional dentists. Essentially, you are looking for ease of mind and you can get this from opinions by patients who have undergone this procedure.

Plan How You Will Get Home

Different forms of sedation have different effects. For instance, IV injections and oral medication may leave you unable to operate your vehicle. Therefore, you need to find someone who will drive you home after you are done with your appointment. Nitrous oxide may not hamper your ability to drive; however, it is always safe to arrange for a driver if this is the first time that your dental doctor has used nitrous oxide on you.

Precautions To Take On The Eve of Sedation 

It is imperative that you do not eat eight hours before sedation as a safety precaution. This is especially so if you are to get a general anesthesia or IV sedation from you dentist’s appointment. You can ask your dental health care professional on what measure to take, as there are specific sedation rules with different dental practitioners. In addition, you need to avoid alcohol 24 hours prior to the appointment and avoid smoking 12 hours before the sedation. In case there is medication that you need to take, ensure that you take it with very little water.

In case the sedation will be heavy, then food and drink is likely to reduce the gag reflex. As such, the contents in your stomach are likely to be regurgitated into your lungs and this may lead to choking. Therefore, in case you accidentally take something before sedation, it would be wise to reschedule the appointment.

Voice Your Queries and Concerns

In order to be as comfortable as possible, ensure that you ask your dentist as many question as possible. The questions should be geared towards making you comfortable for your sedation and subsequent procedure. Voice any concerns that you find important as this will ensure that you are in a relaxed state of mind during the sedation. Your dentist will do anything they can to make you feel at ease and explain each procedure.

Consider What You Intend To Wear

Loose fitting clothes are the best to wear during the procedure. You should also wear a shirt that is short sleeved. Though your dentist will do as much as they can to prevent staining, it is wise to wear old clothing; however, this may be unavoidable.

With these tips on how to prepare when expecting sedation at the dentist’s office, you are guaranteed the procedure will go well.

Sourced from: Alot

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Posted on May 22, 2023