Learn How a Sleep Dentist Can Improve Your Health

A sleep dentist can help you feel less uneasy about going to the dentist. Millions of people feel so nervous about visiting the dentist, they avoid it altogether, which leads to larger bills in the future, poor dental health, and potentially a poor overall health. Fortunately, we can help calm your nerves so you can get through your dental appointment without a problem. A sleep dentist provides conscious sedation methods that allow you to be awake during your appointment without feeling fearful or unsettled.

Sleep Dentistry

A sleep dentist provides popular mild sedatives to help patients cope with dental anxiety. A sleep dentist doesn’t actually put patients completely to sleep but instead puts you into a relaxed, calm, and agreeable state. When under the influence of these mild sedatives, you will feel happy, and you also won’t feel discomfort. In addition to mild sedatives, a sleep dentist will offer local anesthetics to prevent the site of treatment from feeling discomfort. Being sedated during an appointment will help you feel less anxious, since you will be generally happier and most likely not notice the scary noises, like drilling, or the sharp tools that you normally do.

What Sedation Calms

A sedative provided by a licensed and experienced sleep dentist can help:

• Keep you calm and relax your nerves
• Allow you to feel more confident
• Keep you comfortable for long periods in the dental chair
• Help you avoid feeling restless if you have nervous energy
• Control a sensitive gag reflex
• Keep children from feeling scared, and allow them to sit still for a long time

The goal of these sedation methods is to minimize pain, fear, and discomfort during a dentist visit. During your sedation, you will be conscious enough to respond to voice commands, so you will be able to communicate with the dentist about your feelings and if you experience mild discomfort. You will still be in control of the situation; you will just be more confident about it.

Types of Sedation

A sleep dentist can provide you with a variety of options for your sedative means. The most commonly used methods are inhalation, oral, and intravenous (IV).

Inhalation: Inhalation sedation is the mildest form, and it is administered through a mask that is placed over the nose. It is often called laughing gas, but the technical term for it is nitrous oxide.

Oral: Oral sedatives are administered through a pill or syrup. Oral sedatives are used when kids or adults are too nervous to even show up at the dentist without feeling anxious. They are also used when patients are uncomfortable with the appearance of the mask used in inhalation sedation. These medications are prescribed to be taken the night before or right before your treatment or appointment.

IV: Intravenous sedation is used the least commonly for mild cases of dental phobia. This type of sedation is administered through your veins into your bloodstream.

If you are fearful about a dentist appointment, you no longer have to be. A sleep dentist can give you more confidence and contentment during your next dentist visit.