You must have come across many people who have an anxiety of entering the dentist’s chamber. This is usually because people consider dental treatments to be extremely painful for them to bear. They would rather prefer staying in a lot of pain or suffer from dental infection than get it cured. The fear of visiting a dental chamber is a common issue. If you take a look at the statistics, you will find that 22 % of people do not visit the dentist’s chamber to undergo dental treatment out of dental anxiety, as stated by the American Dental Association.
If you have an anxiety more and do not undergo the dental treatment that your oral health needs, you are complicating the process. To help people who have anxiety for visiting the dentist’s chamber, intravenous sedation has come up. Did you hear about intravenous sedation? Want to know more about it? If so, then you have come to the right place. In this blog, we will share with you everything that you need to know about intravenous sedition. So, without further delay, let’s get started with the blog.
What is IV sedation?
Commonly known as Twilight sleep for monitored anaesthesia care intravenous sedation refers to conscious sedation that the dentist applies on a patient to make him feel relaxed during the treatment. When a dentist puts you into intravenous sedation, you do not go off to sleep completely. But the process makes you a little less aware of what is going on in your surroundings.
So, in a way, when you are under intravenous sedation, you can still respond very feebly or express your thoughts with a gentle nudge. However, in intravenous sedation, you should not have any trouble breathing. Generally, intravenous sedation is induced in a patient in the form of a pill. Sometimes, the dentist asked the patient to inhale nitrous oxide to administer the process.
Benefits of IV sedation
The benefits of intravenous sedation are pointed out below:
- It allows the dentist to monitor and control the vitals and make the necessary adjustments in the dosage.
- It does not take much time to work.
- It induces minimal to no pain during the treatment.
- With intravenous sedation, you can experience long-term amnesia. So, right after you wake up, you will not remember any process of the treatment.
- It allows the dentist to undergo multiple oral procedures in just one appointment.
How should you prepare for IV sedation?
The only difference between a general oral appointment and intravenous sedation is used to prepare for the latter. To explain the preparation process of intravenous we have broken down the whole process into three steps as provided below as recommended by dentists in Chislehurst.
Step 1: Before the sedation
First, your dentist will inform you about the process and the discussion with you all the steps that you need to go through to get the intravenous sedation done. For intravenous sedation, every patient should wear light comfortable clothes. Also, avoid eating or drinking at least 6 to 8 hours before the selection process.
If you take any particular medication, make sure to mention it to your dentist about it. Provide your medical history to the dentist and tell him if you can take slight changes during the process. Do not consider going back home after the sedation and the dental treatment all alone. Instead, ask somebody to pick you up from the dental clinic.
Step 2: During the sedation
To begin with the process, the dentist will first ask you to come and sit on the dental chair. He will then pierce a needle with the intravenous sedation drug into your arm. If the dentist feels that you need any other pain relief medications or steroids, he will push them through your intravenous. Next, the dentist will keep an eye on your breathing, pulse rate, and blood pressure throughout the process.
Keeping an eye on all these during the process is essential. Any change in the breathing pattern, blood pressure or pulse can lead to an adverse effect on your health. The moment the dentist uses intravenous sedation, you will start feeling relaxed. You will also feel to see anything, smell, or hear any sounds.
Step 3: After the sedation
After the dentist finishes with the dental treatment, you will notice that the dosage of the sedation is fading out. However, initially, you will feel a little drowsy. Make sure somebody else takes you home from the dental clinic.
For the next 24 hours make sure to be in complete rest. Avoid any kind of exercise or strenuous physical activity, drink alcohol, and take medications without consulting with the dentist. Although complications due to intravenous sedation are rare, it is better to be as careful as possible.
Conclusion
If you’re still here visiting a dentist or dental clinic, know that you have intravenous sedation to be by your side. Dental sedation in Bromley is one of the best in town. Make sure to clarify all your doubts before beginning with the sedation process.