Depending on what treatment you are having done on your teeth, your dentist may offer a form of sedation to help you relax. There are a variety of different methods of sedation, ranging from pills, liquids, or gases, to put you at ease and streamline the process of getting dental treatment done.
For more simple procedures, nitrous oxide gas (more commonly known as laughing gas) can simply be breathed in before and during your treatment. This will keep you awake during your treatment while still allowing you to reduce the amount of anxiety you feel. When the treatment is complete, a few minutes of breathing pure oxygen will bring you right back to normal awareness levels with no lasting side-effects.
More intensive procedures might call for sedation medication to be taken just before the appointment. Most often coming in the form of Valium or other common drugs, these allow you to sleep through the procedure. You are generally asked to come in with another person who can drive you to and from the appointment, since your awareness level will remain inhibited until the medication wears off.
Additional options are available if these aren’t right for you. Be sure to talk with your dental team about any fears or anxieties you have. Dont let it keep you from taking care of your teeth and/or tending to your overall oral health. Most dental professionals recognize the reality of fears and phobias, and can treat them accordingly.
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